


Glæmscrafu-Yule in the Glittering Caves

by Bethann, Minniemoggie



Series: Legendary Friendship [22]
Category: The Lord of the Rings (Movies), The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Action/Adventure, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Father-Son Relationship, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Spanking, Yule, Yuletide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-04
Updated: 2014-12-14
Packaged: 2018-02-28 02:29:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 30,951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2715596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bethann/pseuds/Bethann, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Minniemoggie/pseuds/Minniemoggie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Legolas and Gimli's nephew Greirr want to give the best Yule gift ever.  Unfortunately they must brave a sound sensitive cavern deep within Aglarond to retrieve it.  Not surprisingly, chaos ensues!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Normally I write Gimli's point of view in the Legendary Friendship stories, while Minniemoggie writes Legolas' point of view, but in this particular one I am writing from Gimli's nephew Greirr's point of view for the first few sections. It will switch over to Gimli's pov later on in the story. I have labeled the points of view to avoid confusion. -Bethann
> 
> The name given by the Rohirrim for the Glittering Caves, Glæmscrafu, is an Old English name, meaning 'radiant caves', a reference to their shimmering beauty.
> 
> To read the story of Legolas' first time meeting Greirr and the rescuing of the Red Axe which is referenced here go to part 7 of this series to the story titled A Step Too Far

Legolas' pov:

 

Edoras is left behind us. To the west are the towering peaks of the Ered Nimrais or the White Horn mountains as the Rohirrim name them and ahead the grasslands of Westfold and the fortress of Helms Deep.  
The tops of the mountains are already covered in snow and the wind speaks of more snow to come but presently the morning is fine, cold, but dry. The land we are crossing appears to ripple like the sea as the wind whips up the golden heads of the grass. My companion laughs with the sheer pleasure of seeing new vistas and with the thought that our lengthy journey is almost at an end and asks me for a song, and as ever I find I cannot say no for Lady Vonild is a force of nature and not to be denied.

Which explains why I am presently riding towards Aglarond and to an uncertain welcome. Oh Gimli will be pleased to see his mother I do not doubt but whether he will approve of the fact that he has been kept in the dark about this journey and my part in that deception I am not so sure. I hope he will accept my excuse that I could not deny Mam her wishes in this matter…

It has been a difficult year for the family of dwarves that are as much a part of my life and family as my own Ada.

Just as the last winter was freeing its hold upon Ithilien I received an urgent message from Erebor. Lord Gloin had been taken ill and was asking for his family to come to his side to make their farewells. I left my colony on the same day the messenger arrived and rode north as quickly as I could. I knew that Gimli and Dorbryn would have already set off for the Lonely Mountain as soon as they received their summons. The message had made it plain that time was of the essence and Gimli would guess that I would catch them up on the road since I would need less rest and could travel more lightly than they would do.

In fact it was not until I had crossed the Great River at the Carrock and entered the eaves of my father’s realm that I met with the little group who had obviously been travelling as swiftly as they could. They all looked exhausted and worried, for although Lord Gloin had reached a fine age for a dwarf his sudden illness had come as a shock.  
Dorbryn in particular was suffering from the effects of hard travel although she made no complaint and merely wanted to press on with the journey.  
I had sent a hawk to my father with the news although I thought it likely that he had also been apprised of the bad news for he and Lady Vonild had become good friends in the years since the defeat of Sauron. Likewise Adar and Lord Gloin had set aside their earlier differences in deference to Gimli and my friendship and as soon as we set off into the woods we were met by one of the woodland patrols who had been on the watch for us.

Adar had arranged for a horse relay to carry us more swiftly through the forest. Gimli of course rode with me while Dorbryn, Greirr, and Thorûr rode behind one of the patrol. Campsites and food was waiting for us at each change of horses which again saved time and allowed us to travel well into the night so that our journey through the forest was quickly accomplished. The ride to the mountain itself was also swift for more riders awaited us as we exited the wood. So we were soon mounting the great steps into the halls and hurrying to the family quarters where Mam waited for us.

I was glad that I was there to make my final farewells to Lord Gloin but it was hard to see the grief that consumed Mam, Gimli and Dorbryn’s family at his death. Mortal loss is still a strange phenomenon to me even after all these years of consorting with the second born who have been given the gift of finite lives. But the dwarven belief is that as they return their body to the earth so their spirit goes to the Halls of Waiting, where they feast and sing and await the remaking of the world where we will all be reunited. This makes their loss easier to bear but is still hard on those left behind to mourn. Adar says that tradition and ritual guide all of us through the period of grief whether first or second born and that is what helps us carry on and keep the memory of the one lost alive within our hearts, whether they be in Mandos Halls or beyond the circles of the world. All are loved by Eru and that we must trust in him to ensure that we will all be reunited when Ilúvatar decrees it.

The entombment of Lord Gloin was a magnificent occasion attended by all of the dwarven families under the mountain as well as the King Thorin Stonehelm.  
Dignitaries from Lake Town and Dale came to honour Gloin for his work in forging alliances between the folk of the mountain and the men of the lakes.  
My own father also came to pay his respects along with many members of his court who had come to know and admire Gloin and Lady Vonild in the years since the end of the war of the ring.

I was glad of Ada’s presence for I did not wish to be a burden to Gimli at such a time and I was finding it hard to come to terms with the grief I was experiencing not only for myself but also for the family I had come to know and be a part of.

At Lord Gloin’s own request I was one of the pall bearers. A great honour usually only accorded to those of the house of the departed. When I mentioned this to Gimli because I did not wish to cause offence he told me, not to be daft, for I was a part of Gloin’s family, which heartened me somewhat for what was to come. 

As we entered the Great Hall those watching raised their voices in a lament for Gloin son of Gróin and it was both haunting and beautiful to hear for it was sung in Khuzdul and the stone seemed to resonate and answer their voices just as the trees would have done had it been an elven funeral. I watched transfixed as Gimli and King Thorin hammered the stone that was laid over the bier with their battle axes to tell the warriors in the Halls of Waiting that a great dwarven lord was soon to be amongst them.

The sound of steel on stone echoed through the halls and then came a great roar from all the warriors present as they saluted Lord Gloin for the last time on Arda, after that then came a night of feasting, story-telling and song which will linger longer in my memory.

Mam seemed so strong during that sad time, she gave support to her son and daughter as well as Greirr and me, but it was clear that she herself was suffering from the worst loss of all. One night towards the end of the traditional month of mourning which is observed by the dwarves I heard her weeping and my heart twisted for her pain and loss. So I got up and went into the main room to find her sitting in Gloin’s favourite chair holding his pipe. Not sure if I would be welcome I hesitated but as soon as she realised I was there she smiled and patted the stool at her feet and I hurried to her side. Mam seemed to gain comfort from my presence, stroking my hair and telling me of Lord Gloin’s exploits and their marriage together. We talked through the night, and when dawn came she stood up and announced that she was done with tears and it was time for life to move forward once more.

The next morning she told Gimli and Dorbryn it was time for them to go back to Aglarond and for me to return to Ithilien and of course since no one could gainsay her that is what we did.

It was in the late autumn of the year that a messenger from Eryn Lasgalen brought me a letter which Mam had sent to my father to be forwarded.

In it she told me she was intending to travel to Aglarond to spend Yule with Gimli and Dorbryn but that she wanted it to be a surprise so I was to say nothing to Gimli about her plans. She was arranging to travel to my father’s halls in the company of one of the pack horse trains first to spend a week or two with him. Then she would join a merchant’s convoy for there was far more intercourse now between Gondor, Rohan, the Wood and the Mountain, and make her way south to Edoras where she could be sure of a warm welcome from Eomer King and Queen Lothiriel. From there she was sure she would to find travelers heading west with whom she could journey until she reached Aglarond where she hoped to see me so that the family would all be together for the Yule celebrations.

While I admired her determination to be independent there was no way I was prepared for Mam to travel even part of the way without a suitable escort. I could just imagine the reaction such a dereliction of duty would receive from either of my fathers should it become known I was aware of what Lady Vonild was planning to do and had not stepped in to see to her safety and comfort on her journey.

I did not think Adar would allow Vonild to travel through the Wood without an elven bodyguard but I was about to write to ask him to provide one when I saw a letter from him amongst the rest of my correspondence.  
Ada it seemed had also heard from Vonild and far from accepting her plan to travel with the dwarven traders he was intending to go to Erebor and to escort her to his halls himself. Furthermore he had added that he expected me to travel north in anticipation of her arrival so that I would be on hand to offer Lady Vonild my personal chaperonage to Aglarond. 

So here we are on the last leg of our journey by the end of the day we will have reached the fortress of Helms Deep, paid our respects to Lord Erkenbrand the Master of the Westfold Vale and hopefully surprised Gimli and Dorbryn with our unexpected arrival.

For now as Mam repeats her request for a song and I begin one that I know our honour guard sent by Eomer to see us on our way will recognise and soon we are all lifting our voices in shared song.

Lord Erkenbrand is awaiting our arrival at Helms gate and is anxious for us to accept his offer of hospitality within the Keep itself.  
Since Mam wishes to surprise her kin she accepts with alacrity and once Erkenbrand and his family are made aware of the situation they enter into the deception with enthusiasm, warning their folk to keep a guard on their tongues as to who the new arrivals may be if they come into contact with their new dwarven neighbours. Mam and I are shown into our temporary quarters to prepare ourselves for the evening feast.

Mam insists I dress with appropriate care and I have to present myself for her scrutiny before she gives me permission to gallant her into the hall within the Keep.

Once we are there Mam hides herself and sends me on into the hall. Gimli is surprised to see me, but accepts my arrival with equanimity and says how pleased he will be to have me with him for the Yule festivities even while wondering how Mam will manage on her own this year.

I feel horribly guilty for deceiving him but having no other choice but to go with the scenario Mam has decreed, I smile and nod and not until I am given the signal do I admit to having an ulterior motive in having come early to Aglarond. Then I take my life into my hands and announce that I have an early Yule gift for the family.

As Gimli, Dorbryn, Greirr, and Thorûr look at me somewhat nonplussed and the rest of the folk at the feast all grin I cough, smile, and then wave my hand at the tapestry at the far end of the hall and on cue Mam steps forward.

As Erkenbrand and his guests all cheer Vonild laughs and demands, “Well are ye not pleased to see me?”

“Mam!” Dorbryn is the first to recover her wits. She crosses the hall in a flurry of leather and braids, laughing and crying at the same time. She is immediately enfolded into Vonild’s embrace as they hug and kiss. She is followed by Greirr and his father, but Gimli holds off turning instead to me. I wonder what he will say but he merely takes my head in his strong hands and plants a kiss on my forehead, 

“Thank ye lad. I don’t know how ye did it, but thank ye!”

I hurry to explain that it was not my doing but Mam’s “she was determined to come and made me promise to keep quiet. I am so glad you are pleased.”

“Of course I am pleased lad. To have us all together for this first yule is a wonder I never dreamed of and Mam has ever been a force of nature and if she makes her mind up to something it is a wise dwarf or in this case, elf who goes along with her plans.It must have been quite a journey south?”

I laugh and nod.

“But a great privilege Gimli. We spent long hours talking and Mam told me so many stories about Lord Gloin the journey seemed to fly by.”

“And now Lamb we have a family Yule to plan,” Gimli claps his hands together and then as Mam lifts her head and looks in our direction he joins the rest of his family in hugging and talking and planning for the upcoming celebrations.

The meal is a happy one. There is laughter and song as always in Rohan for they rarely write their histories down preferring to pass their heritage through song and poetry and sitting somewhat on the side-lines. Not that I am being ignored by the others but just letting Vonild and Gimli have their time together, for I have been spoiled by having Mam to myself on our travels. 

I will remain in the Keep tonight, and will with the approval of Lord Erkenbrand retain a chamber there throughout my stay because although I am more accustomed to living under the ground now having spent so much time in Erebor I much prefer to see the stars and feel the wind in my hair.

As the feast comes to an end and people begin to move around more freely talking and greeting friends and acquaintances Dorbryn’s son Greirr comes to sit beside me.

Greirr has grown considerably in the years since he travelled here with his mother to see her wed to Thorûr. He is now quite grown up, another thing that I find hard to accept amongst the second born races. Their lives are so brief by the reckoning of my own people and they grow towards adulthood at a pace that leaves me far behind. I was a young elf when I first met Greirr and I will still be accounted young when he grows to full adulthood and goes to join Gloin and Gimli in the Halls of Waiting.

That thought is so dispiriting that I have to give myself a mental shake to take such visions away. I have many more years yet to enjoy the company of my dwarven family so I summon up a smile and pour Greirr a tankard of ale.

We talk for some time exchanging news and gossip but I can see that something is not quite right with my young friend and from the way he keeps looking at Mam I wonder if it has something to do with her arrival.

Eventually I have to ask if something is amiss.

Greirr laughs and shakes his head and then changes his mind and nods.

“Aye, it is foolish I know Legolas but as we were not expecting Mam to be here for Yule I have already sent my gift for her off north with one of the merchants who was journeying to Lake Town. So, now I have nothing suitable to give her on Yule morning.”

Personally I do not think Mam will care if she gets gifts or not, for her the joy of Yule is to be with family. But I can see that Greirr is worried about his lack of a present, so I smile encouragingly at him and try and come up with some ideas on what he could possibly find to give Mam.

We have discussed several different ideas when finally I see his dark eyes that remind me so much of Gimli begin to twinkle.

“You have thought of something?”

He gives me a grin, “Aye I have, but mind I think I will need your help to get it.”

“Then you shall have it” I tell him and it is only later as I lie watching the stars wheel above my head that it occurs to me to wonder what I am letting myself in for.

 

Xxxx

 

Greirr’s pov:

I sit cross-legged on the floor of the guest chambers inside the keep waiting patiently for my friend to wake up. Well perhaps patiently is not the word, for I have tried every manner of way to ‘accidentally’ awaken him, but for someone with superior elven hearing and a warrior’s senses, he certainly sleeps like a deaf bear in the winter.

It is extremely frustrating, for I am in a hurry this morning. I must speak to Legolas and convince him to help me with my plan, before the rest of my family engulfs him with distractions. Mother and Da have not seen him in months and will be desperate for news and gossip. Lady Dorbryn, no doubt, will have planned a special meal, and special family Yule activities, and so many ‘special’ things that mustn’t be missed, that I will hardly get a moment alone with him, and what I have to say, must be said privately. Besides that, once my esteemed uncle has him in sight, it will be much harder to try to execute my plan. Lord Gimli has something of an eagle eye when it comes to his elven charge, and anything we do to make him suspicious will result in him sticking to Legolas’ side like a leech and if that happens my plans are doomed. 

Of course I could just wake him up, but Lady Vonild made me promise not to, and it is difficult to ignore her commands, even if there is no way she would find out. I rose extra early myself this morning in order to leave our apartments without questions being asked, but unfortunately for me Grandmother Vonild, or Amma as I call her, was already up and mixing dough for bread. 

I was pleased to see her for I hadn’t seen her since Grandfather’s funeral and hadn’t expected to see her again until spring. It was quite a shock and happy surprise to find that she had decided surprise everyone by showing up unannounced. We were all thrilled, but I had wanted to get out without being questioned, so I had hoped she might sleep in a bit today. But rather than interrogate me to the nth degree, like mother would have, she simply smiled and embraced me warmly and asked what I was doing up so early. When I explained that I intended to find Legolas, she reminded me that I should let him sleep since he had been traveling for days, having made the trip all the way north and all the way back here with hardly a day’s rest between. I promised not to wake him, of course, but that promise is starting to wear on my patience. Aren’t elves supposed to need very little rest?

I sigh lustily, but he doesn’t stir, so I sit back against the wall and think about what has lead me here in the first place.

It began after Grandfather died-well really even before that. Truly it began last Yule when our family was visiting Erebor. It is a place I love to visit and where I spent the first years of my life before coming here to Aglarond at age nine when Mother married Thorûr. On Yule morning we were all exchanging gifts, and Lord Gloin presented his gift to Amma last of all. I recall how her eyes had sparkled with delight as she opened it, for experience had proven to her that Grandfather’s gifts never disappointed, for he had become a master jeweler in his old age. This time was no different, for the beautifully hand carved box held a spectacular pair of perfectly matched ruby earrings 

“Oh how lovely,” she had breathed as she held them up to the light. “You know how I love red stones, and these are exquisite.”

“They are beautiful of course, but they are not the red beryl emeralds I have always wanted for ye,” he answered with some regret. “A rare lady deserves such a rare stone.”

“Oh pooh, no red emerald could be any prettier than these rubies, even if they are not as rare,” She replied, rising to kiss his cheek. “I don’t need them.”

He had hugged her back, but only answered, “One of these days, ye shall have them.”

Of course it was only a few months later that he suddenly took sick and died. Lady Vonild wore the ruby earrings to the funeral and it was then that I realized that Grandfather had died without ever realizing the dream of giving his sweetheart the coveted red emeralds he had so wanted her to have. 

I decided that day, that I would fulfill that dream for him and so began my quest to search for the very rare red beryl emeralds. It was not an easy task, for I had to ask questions without anyone realizing my ulterior motive for that would have ruined the surprise. That meant months of feigning an interest in jewel cutting and jewelry making, something that pleased Uncle to no end for he finds the topic endlessly fascinating and can talk on it for days without letup. It was all I could do to keep from letting my eyes roll back in my head and falling off the work bench as he chattered on and on about the hardness, color, and clarity of every gemstone known to dwarven kind, but it was well worth the sacrifice in the end. He was not the least bit suspicious about my intentions when I was finally able to bring up the subject of red emeralds. 

“I believe I have seen them here, lad, right here in the Glittering Caves” he told me, “but never close enough to be sure, for they were in deepest parts of the cavern where it is too dangerous to tread. Even the softest sounds could cause a rock fall back there. Only the most skillfully trained miners have been allowed to enter and that just to post signs that it is a sound sensitive area.”

 

I was thrilled with this information, for I knew exactly where he meant. I had explored there before with some friends and had even quietly walked past that very sign on a dare once, though I hadn’t been there in many years. Still I knew I would be able to find the area again.

And I was right! It was no trouble at all finding my way round in the maze of caverns all the way to the sound sensitive areas. Not only that, when I shined my lantern inside, I was pretty sure I could see the red gleam of what very well might have been the red emeralds, for they were the not rubies or garnets or any other red stone I had seen before and, except for the color, they looked exactly like the more common green emeralds! I had found them!

Sadly there was bad news as well. I had no fear of the sound sensitivity of the cavern, for I am light of step and slender and would have no problem moving silently. Hadn’t I passed that very sign before? The problem was that there was a chasm with nothing but a narrow land bridge between me and the prized stones. And even though I am thin for a dwarf-mother says I will fill out in time-I knew my weight would be too much and would likely cause the bridge to come crashing down. It was a heartbreaking realization after all my effort, but I had no other option but to shelve the idea until a time when I could figure out a solution.

Last night, the solution finally came to me, when Legolas escorted Amma into the great banquet hall My first thought was to be excited and happy to see Lady Vonild of course, but after that I recalled that I had already sent my Yule gift north so would have nothing to give her on Yule morning. My disappointment over the red emeralds came back in a rush, for what a perfect gift they would have been, especially considering the year we’ve all had.

Then I saw Uncle Gimli pull Legolas down to kiss his forehead and pull him into an embrace. His enormous hands almost entirely covered the elf’s back and I thought he could probably span the slender waist in his hands if he wanted to. I hadn’t noticed it before, probably because he is so tall, but Legolas was actually quite small in girth. His whole body looked about as big around as one of Uncle’s arms. Why he must not weigh more than a medium sized walking axe at best! And anyone with eyes could see he was lighter of step than any dwarf alive, including myself. An idea began to form. Legolas would be light enough to walk on the earth bridge without so much as disturbing a rock, and if the bridge did happen to collapse, I would be able to support his slight weight with an anchor rope that we could tie around his waist.

And then I recalled the great red axe and how he had managed to retrieve it by walking on a single rope across a chasm, and became even more excited! It was the first time we had met, and he was trying to impress Amma and had achieved it too! Uncle had been far less impressed, if I remember correctly just as he will be if we are able to retrieve the emeralds, but I hoped Legolas would think it worth the painful price and probably considerable loss of freedom to help me out. 

I got his word that he would help me last evening, but haven’t told him yet of my plans. I am counting on the romance of the story to get him to agree, for such an action will probably come with a heavy price, for once the stones are given to Amma, at least one person present will realize where they came from and not be pleased with how they were obtained. Of course it would only be right to attempt to take the full blame on myself since it IS my idea, but Uncle is very perceptive and Legolas is no good when it comes to lying, I’ve noticed. A person would think that someone of his considerable experience at getting into bother might have developed some skill at it by now, but it seems he has not. Perhaps a practice session ahead of time might not go amiss… 

But that is a concern for later. For now I wish he would wake up so we can get started planning, for the sun must be above the horizon by now. We will be expected at breakfast and to not show up would be the best way to alert those who would try to put a stop to my plan.

I cough and clear my throat loudly, but he continues to breathe evenly and stare into the distance, for he has a creepy habit of sleeping with his eyes open most of the time. Or maybe he is only pretending to sleep to tease me. I quietly crawl across the floor until I can look directly into his blank eyes to see if I can tell if he is truly asleep or not. Gazing into his eyes reminds me of the staring contests we used to have when I was a child. No wonder I could never win! He was probably asleep through all of them! 

We are practically nose to nose now and I squint my eyes determined not to blink. I slowly let out a breath and concentrate. Perhaps it is my warm breath on his face or maybe the hair of my beard tickling him, but he is suddenly wide awake and swearing in Khuzdul like an angry dwarf. 

“Karagu rukhs!” Hand on his chest, he leaps back almost completely falling off the bed. I cannot help laughing at the comical look on his face and the shocking Khuzdul words issuing from his lips. It is solid proof that Lord Gimli is not quite as ‘proper’ as he would have us believe, for where else would Legolas have learned such language? My friend does not find things nearly as amusing as I do for he glares at me fiercely, which makes me laugh even harder. Some folks just can’t take a joke. 

“Greirr! What in Aulë’s name are you doing?” he growls. 

“I’m winning,” I calmly explain. “You blinked first.”

“You can’t be winning,” he grouches, indignantly, “because I wasn’t playing!” 

“Someone is a sore loser,” I tease. “But very well. I withdraw my victory but I will defeat you someday.”

“Hmmph! Not likely!” he haughtily claims, but I see his lip twitch in spite of his trying to remain angry. 

It is then that I recall, belatedly I admit, that it might be prudent to keep his temper sweet since I will need to rely on him if I am to pull off my plan before Yule morning. 

“Peace, my friend, I did not mean to startle you.” I say. I offer him my most charming smile and hand over a peace offering-a handful of Lady Dorbryn’s molasses taffy wrapped in bits of colorful cheesecloth for the holidays. “ I came because I needed to talk to you. Alone.”

Fortunately for me, he accepts the treat showing that he has already relented and forgiven me for my antics. The truth is we became fast friends right from the start and he has always liked me, something I was very much counting on.

“All right then, dwarfling, what would you like to talk about?” He asks fondly, smiling for real this time.

I grin at the use of this old nickname, but refrain from reminding him that I reached my majority a few months ago, while he is still a very long way from the same milestone, so technically in relative terms, I am already ‘older’ than he is. That would be very disheartening for him to hear, and I must admit that he has had to deal with many more life experiences than I have. Besides pointing it out would not help me reach my goal, so I let the use of this childish moniker pass. If he is willing to help me get the red emeralds, he can call me by any name he likes.

“I wish to talk to you about the Yule gift I would like to give Amma,” I begin to explain. “It would be from both of us, of course, for without you I will not be able to achieve it.”

He listens as I explain about the sound sensitive caverns in the deepest part of the cave system and the placing of the red emeralds on the far side of the earth bridge. He listens with a growing look of disquiet and I can see he is not yet convinced. 

“Greirr, I want to help you. I really do,” he tells me, “but we would surely be found out and I am already on shaky ground with Gimli.”

“Surely not! You’ve only been here half a day!”

“You do not understand,” he explains, “Gimli is happy to see Mam and pleased that I escorted her here, but whether he says it or not, he will not like that he was kept in the dark about my traveling all the way North and back without his knowledge. I never make that sort of journey without letting him know in advance. He likes to keep apprised of my whereabouts and will not like that I was for many days not where he thought me to be, even if he never complains of it. It will be much better for me to play it safe this visit. I’d like to make it through this Yule without raising his ire.”

“I understand,” I sigh, terribly disappointed. “But may I tell you the whole story of why this is important to me?”

He groans, but nods and waves his hand indicating that I should go ahead and speak. I am greatly heartened for I know once he hears about Afi and his lifelong wish, he will be swayed to participate, no matter what it means for himself or his own personal well being. 

Lord Gloin was a fascinating storyteller and I use his great skill to spin the tale of the great tragedy of unfulfilled dreams that now have the chance to come true, but only with his cooperation. As I had hoped and expected, he is soon caught up in the story, eyes gleaming brightly at the romance and drama of it all. Such a deed and such a gift would be something that Lady Vonild would cherish all her days and surely that is worth whatever price we have to pay to accomplish it isn’t it?

“Besides,” I remind him, “Uncle Gimli adores you and never stays angry for long. He will forgive you quickly enough and everything will be fine.”

“That is true, but it is that bit of time between his getting angry and his forgiving that is hard to deal with,” he says a trifle gloomily, but then he shakes himself and smiles again. “But as you say it won’t last forever, and it would make Mam’s first Yule without Lord Gloin extra special.”

“Indeed it would!” I agree, thrilled now that he has all but agreed. “Now if you will dress quickly, we’ll have time to go to the caves before we are expected for break of fast.”

“You wish to do it today?” he asks incredulously. 

“No, no, we have to make a plan first,” I explain myself. “Today we will just take a look. Now hurry!”

 

XXXX

Hurry?

It is all very well for Greirr to encourage me to be quick, but even I have a certain amount of inbuilt self-preservation.Well do I know that it behooves the son of Thranduil to step cautiously when it comes to dwarves! Oh I am well aware that had I not placed my future care in the hands of Gimli son of Gloin, I would not be here now, but …

I awoke this morning to the not unfamiliar sensation of a dwarven beard brushing my chin but even deep within elven reverie my senses were screaming at me that this was not Gimli and that I should be careful, something that I was dimly aware was not unfamiliar to me either. My brows would have been drawn across my brow save for the fact that I was trying hard to avoid anyone sensing that I was awake but I was very sure that whoever was brushing my face with their beard while not Gimli was not someone I had to be cautious of … then it struck me … Greirr.

All of yesterday’s memories returned to me, my unexpected arrival with Mam the feast with Lord Erkenbrand and his family, Gimli’s disapproval and disappointment of my deception. Well do I know what his opinions were, he was happy to see me and to have Mam with him for Yule, but the deception was not something he approved of and then well before the hour for first meal, Dorbryn’s son was doing his best to wake me that could not be a good thing …

And having heard his reasons for his early morning call I was even more certain that this was not a good thing, not at all!

I sympathize with his desire to get those red emeralds for Mam I truly do! Tthey would make a wonderful gift, and one that would be a fitting way to fulfill Lord Gloin’s desire to find such stones for his wife but … and it is a major but …  
I am already skating on thin ice with Gimli, and I would sooner spend this Yule in comfort and in the good books of my hirsute guardian than in his poor graces. That would make for a very uncomfortable visit in more ways than one.

And if Greirr thinks he can bribe me with a piece of taffy he is very much mistaken. I love the candy but not even for a whole tin full am I going to put my backside at risk. I have already told him that and he still goes on trying to persuade me that his plans are sensible. Sensible doesn’t even come near a proper description. He wishes us to go into an area of the caves network that is not only out of bounds but also dangerous and he wishes us to do it without anyone else knowing about it … 

Well I suppose that is a reasonable choice if I am being fair, if anyone else did find out about our plans we would have no chance of carrying them out.

I curse under my breath as I realize I have just thought of those maniac plans as ‘ours’ rather than his.

I try once more to inject a little sanity into the morning.

“Damn it Greirr! Couldn’t you find something else that Mam might like, something that does not require us to possibly put our lives at risk and certainly put our rear-ends at risk?”

“It will be worth it, Legolas, I promise. Just come and look at the stone. That is all I ask of you for now.”

I note the ‘for now’ part of that comment with gloomy foreboding. If I am foolish enough to follow Greirr out of the door I will be lost. I know it …

I have to think of the consequences, show my maturity, and generally prove to young Greirr that I am not going to be swayed by his wide eyed look of pleading. He is no longer a dwarfling and I have many more years in my dish than when we first met and I am not about to barracked into making a wrong and foolish choice by his wiles no matter how much I would like to give Mam such a worthy gift. 

So how is it that the words that come out of my mouth as I head for the door are not a swift condemnation of Greirr’s foolish presumptions but actually a rather sad denial of the truth that I am not already fully committed to this piece of madness. 

“I am only going to look you understand.”

Even I do not believe my words of denial!

 

It is very difficult for an elf to go unnoticed in a dwarven colony such as Gimli has set up here in Aglarond. Today it seems to me as if every dwarf I have ever met is out and about at what is still a very early hour and they all wish to speak with me.

I can sense that Greirr is growing impatient and yet I cannot ignore all of these elders who I have come to know and care about in the years since Gimli and I became family. Eventually however, Greirr draws me away and we slip down one of the lesser used passageways, deep into the bowels of the mountains.

 

We set off again, more slowly now for there is little light save the occasional torch in the wall sconces that denotes a fork in the pathway. I had expected the area that Greirr wishes to show me to be near the main caves but we cross several caverns that are alive with gems and crystals without a pause, then having assured himself that we are not observed Greirr takes my elbow and ducks under a barrier into a completely dark hallway. The ceiling of which is so low that I have to bend almost double to prevent my head from catching on the sharp edges of the stone above us.

Here he halts us and gives me a lecture on the importance of safety in the caves. I would roll my eyes at his admonishing tone save that I know from my years spent within the woods of my own home when it was cursed by the evil of Sauron and his spawn that one wrong step, one moments loss of concentration can bring death with lightning speed in situations such as these.

Not only that but my journeys with Gimli both here in Aglarond and Erebor have bred in me a very healthy respect for the heightened sense of the dwarves within their own territory. I would be foolish indeed to ignore or scoff at his words so I listen intently as he reminds me of the problems that lie ahead and nod docilely when he abjures me to follow his lead and take care. 

The air here is less fresh, the dust lies quite thick a testament to the length of time that this part of the mountain has been left unexplored, yet even with the dark pressing in on me I can see the imprints of a pair of dwarven boots that have travelled this way quite recently. It is hardly a matter of great deduction on my part to wager whose boot prints these are. I am about to voice this thought when Greirr holds up his hands to his lips and by the simple expedient of a glare (which reminds me uncomfortably of Gimli) reminds me that here we must remain silent.

I nod my understanding and move after him even more cautiously than before. The silence seems to deepen my unease at being so far underground, and in an area I know I should not be at all.Somewhere deep within my brain my conscience is telling me this is a very bad idea. I know it is, yet I continue on my way without pause.

Ducking through a low arch Greirr lifts his lantern and I see that we are standing on a ledge. Looking up I cannot see the roof of the cave and looking down past the edge of the narrow path is a deep chasm, where stone has fallen or been worn away through the ages by the passage of water. There is no water now. Indeed there is no sound at all, save mine, and Greirr’s breathing. The walls on both sides of the chasm are sheer and even in the meager light from the closed lantern I can see stones bedded deep within the rock twinkling and glowing.

With the slightest indication of his head Greirr gets us moving again, sidling along the ledge until we are away from the arch that leads into the cave. We stop and he points with a finger to the walls on the opposite side of the cavern, and then I see them even in the dim light the red emeralds glow with an inner fire. They are magnificent and I know now why Greirr is so determined to retrieve them. 

Once again we move on. The ledge which was narrow before is now less than the width of Greirr’s shoulders and we are having to shuffle along with our backs against the rock, an outcropping of stone hides what Greirr wants me to see a sliver of stone reaching out across the chasm, less than a hands span wide. Greirr looks at me and I look at the crossing. It reminds me of the bridge in Khazad Dum except there we were fleeing Orc and a Balrog. Here I have only to avoid being found out by Gimli so why does a shiver run down my spine at the thought of him ever finding out what we may be attempting. I take the lantern and go onto one knee to examine the rock. There are narrow fissures running across the stone but they are not deep and when I place one foot onto the bridge it feels solid enough. Of course I cannot tell what it will be like further out and so I am about to step forward when Greirr grabs my belt and hauls me back to his side shaking his head fiercely and then waving at me to go back the way we have come.

It is not until we have ducked back under the sign that warns everyone to keep clear that Greirr finally stops and we have an opportunity for speech.  
“Why did you stop me crossing the bridge?” I grumble at him, “How am I to find out if it is safe to cross without examining it?”

Greirr gives me the sort of look I am accustomed to receiving from Gimli.

"And if you found it was not safe,” he hisses, “it would be too late to retreat and you would likely fall to your death.” A finger is wagged in my face, “You are not to cross that bridge until we have ropes and safety lines in place. Do you hear me?”

This time I do roll my eyes at his ridiculous over protectiveness. 

"Yes naneth. Truly you are worse than your uncle. I would have been quite safe.”

“You do not know that, and taking proper precautions makes good sense. It will make both of our lives easier. Come we must hurry else we will be so late that questions will be asked and you know you have problems with telling lies.”

As I follow Greirr back to Dorbyn’s quarters I take the time to wonder when it was that Greirr became the latest mortal to overtake me in age and maturity so that he now feels the need to protect and order me. It seems only a moment since I sat with him looking at his picture book and finding out about the Great Axe.

That memory makes me grimace, for I remember very well the outcome of that adventure!

Gimli and Thorûr are already seated at the table tucking into a hearty breakfast as we enter but Gimli looks up from his meal and immediately notices the dust on my boots and clothing.

“Where have ye been the pair of ye? Ye look as if ye walked through a flour mill Lamb.”

“I was showing Legolas the progress that has been made in the blue cavern,” Greirr tells him, hurrying me into the kitchen to wash our hands.

“Was that what sent you off so early? Could it not have waited an hour or so?” Mam pauses in cutting bread to give us a look as well.

I can see Greirr is struggling to come up with an answer so I offer a smile and sneak a piece of the bread, making Mam turn her attention to me and slap my fingers as I stuff the warm bread into my mouth.

“Well come and sit down and eat,” Mam tells us ushering us back into the main room, and with the serving of food and exchange of news our absence is temporarily forgotten.

Greirr and I have agreed that we will speak later about how and when we will make our next foray into the caves. For now I do my best to allay any suspicion and suggest to Gimli that I would very much enjoy seeing some of his latest jewel work after we have broken our fast.

“We have much to catch up on,” I add.

“Aye” he replies, “We do at that and there is a deal to do if all is to be ready for Yule.” He beams at his mother. And with Mam here I want it all to be perfect with no glitches or trouble.”

“So do I,” I tell him and I mean every word.


	2. Chapter 2

Greirr's pov:

 

“I…I know we shouldn’t have taken the emeralds without your permission, Elvellon,” Legolas stammers, “but it was Lord Gloin’s wish, and…and… when we found the stones in the Blue Cavern…”

“Legolas! Look at me.” I demand. He takes a deep breath and looks up, before continuing.

“When we found the stones in the Blue Cavern…”

“You’re doing it again!”

“I’m trying not to!”

”Well you’re going to have to do better than that,” I tell him. “If you keep looking away every time you say it, he will know for certain you are lying about finding the stones in the Blue Cavern. Now try again!”

He shakes his head and opens his eyes wide before looking directly in my eyes. 

“When we found the stones in the Blue Cavern, we couldn’t resist getting them for Mam.” 

“Better! You must look directly in his eyes and say it with confidence,” I advise. “Let’s keep going.”

I narrow my eyes and cross my arms and growl in my most booming voice.

“Blue Cavern? I’ve never seen such stones in the Blue Cavern!” I take a step toward him and take his chin in my hand so I can tilt his face down to look at me. I frown further and lower my voice even more. “Ye aren’t telling me a falsehood are ye, elfling?”

All color drains from his face and I can feel him beginning to tremble. He bites his lip nervously and swallows hard before attempting to answer.

“I..I…that is..”

I cover my face with both hands and groan.

“We are so doomed!” I mourn. “It is true. You really can’t lie to save your life. Or your skin…or mine either in this case. Can you do no better than that?”

“I am attempting to, but it would help if you would stop glaring at me!”

“I am just trying to create a realistic scenario here,” I remind him, becoming frustrated now. “Have you just met my uncle? Do you really think Gimli will just accept your first explanation without question? I assure you he won’t! You have to be prepared for an interrogation, and recall that he is nearly twice my size and a lot more intimidating. If you can’t get through a practice session with me without looking like you are about to wet yourself, how will you manage in the real situation?”

“I am doing my best,” he bristles, “you knew I was no good at this.”

“That’s the understatement of the century…”

“Look Greirr, it was your idea to get me involved in this,” he snaps. “I was going to carve Mam a set of ivory combs for her hair. I am perfectly happy to go back to my original plan and let you find your own Yule gift!”

“All right, all right. I am sorry my friend,” I say, attempting to smooth ruffled feathers. It will not do at all to have him change his mind at this juncture. “We can try again later, or perhaps I can do all the talking and you can just nod and look contrite.”

Even as I say this, I know it will never work. Even I have trouble pulling the wool over Uncle’s eyes and I am quite skilled at the art of obfuscation. Legolas won’t stand a snowball’s chance in the fires of Mount Doom of fooling him. We might as well resign ourselves to the fact that we are very likely going to end up in a great deal of bother. I personally think it will be well worth it, but of course now is not the time to point this out, for my too honest friend is on the verges of quitting on me already and reminding him of what we are likely to face will not encourage his participation.

I know it will be impossible without him. 

Even so it will not do to be too reckless in our planning for I would never forgive myself if Legolas ended up getting injured while trying to help me. That means that we must make a meticulous plan and have a serious discussion about safety issues and the use of the tools he will need to use to remove the emeralds from the stone wall. For a brief moment yesterday, I felt some sympathy for Lord Gimli having had such a heedless creature in his care for all these years. Had I not grabbed his belt in time, Legolas would have been in the center of the bridge without benefit of so much as a single rope to break his fall should the bridge collapse. 

Even when I explained my concerns later, he didn’t seem to understand that his actions had not been perfectly safe and acceptable and I had to resort to scolding like one of the elders to get him to promise to stay off the bridge until we have all safety precautions on place. Often I have heard Lord Gimli lament the impetuous and flighty nature of his elven charge, but I never took those complaints seriously until yesterday when I saw it for myself. 

So now I find myself in the uncomfortable position of having to insist that Legolas follow my lead and do exactly as I tell him, without implying that I think he is incapable of making good decisions on his own or making him think that I feel it is my place to order him about or protect him from harm. Such thoughts are completely foreign to me, for I have practically worshiped him as a hero, but the Valar know someone has to protect him since he seems to have no thought to do it himself. How he has lived as long as he has so far is a mystery to me. So I will need to tread very carefully, both literally in the sound sensitive cavern, and figuratively with my capricious elven friend. On top of that I have to be sure not to reveal my true thoughts on the odds of us getting from this adventure unscathed, or he may yet decide not to help me. It will be a balancing act to be sure, but I am quite confident in my abilities.

We have been practicing our cover story for days. The story goes that the red emeralds were found in the Blue Cavern, rather than the sound sensitive caverns deep within the cave system. We will say I was showing Legolas the progress that had been made there, when we noticed the emeralds that no one else had seen before because of them having been hiding behind an area where the dust had settled thickly on the cavern wall. When we saw them, we could not resist removing them for Amma because of Afi’s dying wish, even though we both recognized that the Glittering Caves are not to be quarried but only to be enhanced of their natural beauty.

Actually cutting away a stone and removing it without permission could be considered a pretty serious transgression, but I am hoping that our story will be touching enough that we can be forgiven that part of it. If we can only convince everyone that the stones were found in the Blue Cavern, then we just might get away without upsetting anyone too much, though the chances of that happening seem less and less likely. We both have the story down pat, but one of us can’t lie convincingly enough for anyone to believe a word we tell them. I suppose I will just have to hope for the best. 

For now there is more practicing to do before we can implement our plan tomorrow morning. This time on how to use the stone saws that will be used to remove the emeralds. Since I will not be the one actually dong the sawing, I must take the time to show my friend how to do it. Since we intend to say the stones came from the Blue Cavern, that is just the place to practice, since there will need to be some missing stones from the walls there to prove that they were found there. As long as no one investigates too closely to see that the stones do not fit the holes exactly we should be fine on that account. 

Fortunately the caves are bereft of workers, for everyone is on holiday until after Yule, so it is easy enough to find a good area to practice. I search out a stone that most closely resembles the red emeralds in size, and then demonstrate how to us the saw that I earlier pilfered from Thorûr’s tool chest, to free them from the cavern wall. I then offer the tool to my friend, who is more than a little hesitant to try it.

“We shouldn’t be desecrating these caverns,” he says, looking quite guilty already, and we haven’t even done anything very wrong yet! ” only those skilled in such work should be doing any kind of chiseling or cutting here.”

I sigh and bite my lip to keep from giving a snarky reply to this latest issue. I had no idea that Legolas had such a sensitive conscience, but it could become quite an obstacle to my plans.

“It is only ordinary quartz we are removing,” I assure him, “it would have been cut away anyway.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really.” I tell him and feel just a twinge of guilt as I say it, for it is only partially true. It is so that we are cutting ordinary quartz, but I have no idea if it would have been cut away or not. If I am truthful it is likely that it would not have been, for the caverns are meant to be left mostly in their natural state with only a little bit of clever cutting and lighting to showcase the natural beauty. 

Still its not like anyone will notice two little quartz pieces missing and we have to explain where the emeralds came from. Besides he can’t learn to use the saw without at least doing it one time on an actual cavern wall. So I smile encouragingly and assure him again that there is no harm in removing the quartz.

“It’s only quartz. It is very common so no one will mind.” I promise him.

“Only we’re planning to say that it was red emeralds,” He points out, “which is not common at all and is indeed one of the rarest stones in Middle Earth.”

“True, but we’ve gone over that already. When they hear the story of why we did it, they will forgive us. I am sure of it. The important thing is to get everyone to believe we found them here for if anyone found out the truth about that they might be far less understanding. And if we are to convince them of THAT, there has to be evidence of our removing something.” 

He nods and holds the saw up to the wall, but then brings it down again. 

“It just feels wrong, Greirr,” he agonizes, “I feel like I’m cutting down blossoming trees for firewood.”

I swallow a growl and clench my jaws firmly shut to keep impatient words from issuing forth from my mouth. It is a wonderful thing that Legolas has such a reverence of natural beauty and that my esteemed uncle has instilled in him a deep respect for his beloved caves, but enough is enough already! At this rate we’ll have the red emeralds by midsummer! Still I keep my voice calm and reassuring.

“It isn’t the same thing at all, Legolas, I swear,” I tell him. It is a miniscule sacrifice for a very worth goal. Think of how happy Lady Vonild will be, almost as if Lord Gloin is still with us. It will be well worth it.”

Legolas sighs and I can see he is teetering again because of his desire to please Amma on her first Yule as a widow. How many times must I talk him into this thing?

“Perhaps you are right,” he admits, albeit a little reluctantly. 

“Of course I am right!” I encourage him. Now, will you please just cut the quartz out of the wall?”

This time he lifts the saw and deftly removes the bit of quartz and lays it in my palm as if he were born with a stone saw in his hand. At least I won’t need to worry on that account. If he can make it across the narrow bridge, he wont’ have the least trouble getting the emeralds. 

“Excellent!” I praise. “Just one more thing and then we are ready for action!”

“One more thing?”

Instead of answering, I take the empty bag I have with me and begin to stuff in a harness and some safety ropes that have been left here by the workers for their use when the work here resumes. 

“You are stealing the equipment?” he asks, looking around as if someone might suddenly appear.

I roll my eyes at his shocked expression. He really needs to learn how to use the correct terminology.

“I am only borrowing it, my friend,” I tell him, “We will bring it back when we are finished.”

“Oh well, borrowing isn’t so bad,” he says with some relief. “Of course we will bring it back.”

“Inside a day,” I promise him. “Meet me here at dawn and we will have these things back before break of fast tomorrow. And we will have possession of the greatest Yule gift anywhere on Arda.”

 

 

Legolas' pov:

 

I draw in a deep breath and try to make myself relax, it is late, or perhaps I should say it is early and I have been sitting on the edge of the wall that surrounds the inner court here at the fortress of Helm’s Deep for several hours. The stars are slipping from view as far in the distance on the horizon I see the first pale colours of dawn marbling the dark sky.

It was a pointless exercise to try and sleep, there was no way I could have found rest, my stomach is roiling and my heart fluttering. This is ridiculous, why am I feeling so ill at ease?  
I neither am not about to go into battle, nor am I in any significant danger and yet my senses are fairly screaming at me that something is very wrong. Well I know it is wrong, I am about to do something stupendously stupid, I know it, and I ought to put a stop to it but instead I sit here watching the sky and wondering what is going to happen to me when Gimli finds out what I have been involved in.

It is pointless Greirr telling me that ‘all will be well’ and that if we are challenged all I have to do is say what he has had me practicing. But I just cannot obfuscate sufficiently to deflect Gimli’s sharp questioning, not even to save my hide.   
Even last evening I drew his unsolicited attentions towards me by my restlessness. He wanted to know what was wrong with me and I just could not think of any reply.

Thankfully Greirr stepped in and told his uncle that he thought I was suffering from a bout of ‘cave fever’.  
That statement at least has an element of truth about it, I am indeed suffering every time I close my eyes I can see Gimli’s face when he finds out that we have trespassed in an area that is unsafe and deliberately sought to hide our actions from him.  
Gimli however took Greirr’s words to mean that I was still having trouble acclimatizing myself to the deep caverns of Aglarond and then of course went out of his way to try and reassure me, which made me feel even more guilty.

He even offered to spend the night with me in my rooms in the Keep but I managed to convince him that wasn’t necessary and eventually he went off to his rest and I came out here to brood.

I should never have allowed myself to be persuaded into this idiocy, I should have said no as soon as Greirr suggested it. I should have shown my maturity and greater age and insisted that Greirr put such ideas as he had out of his head. Instead I allowed him to wheedle and cajole me into ‘just going to look’ and once I had done so I was lost, I could not back out. Greirr could not reach them without my help and he was so desperate to get them for his Amma and I quite understand why that is.

And he has gone to so much trouble to coach me in the proper way of things, even going so far as to practice with me on how best to avoid the inevitable questioning and suspicions of my dwarven guardian. I wish I could say Greirr’s tutoring was successful but I could not even meet his eyes, never mind Gimli’s. I was a better student when it came to listening to the way to handle the stone saw and how best to lift the emeralds and do the least damage to them or the cave they reside in. Greirr had me practice in the Blue Cavern where he got me to cut some quartz to prove to him that I could handle the equipment properly. I think he was quite impressed by my skill although I did not like the idea of cutting even the quartz for Gimli has many times impressed upon me the fact that the stones here in the Glittering Caves are not meant to be mined.

And here I am back again at the main cause of my current ill ease, I am about to do something I know I should not. If I had half a brain I would go and hide myself in the deepest recesses of the Keep for the rest of the day or take a horse and ride for Ithilien, of course I do neither, instead I hop down from the wall and start to make my way into the outer caverns.

I hope I do not betray Greirr’s faith in me, that I prove capable of doing what is necessary. He has made every effort to ensure that we are both safe, and that I know exactly what to do. He is very like Gimli in his approach to safety indeed in a scant few years I suspect he will be a highly respected leader in his own right, if we survive this morning of course and the inevitable fall out of our return.

Greirr is before me at the Blue cavern and he looks mightily relieved to see me, he must have feared I would not keep my word. Well I should not have done, but I have and when Mam sees the stones I am sure all this trouble will have been worthwhile, she deserves something very special after all that has happened in her life this year.

 

We slip under the barrier that takes us into the narrow passages that will lead us to the chasm. All has gone to plan so far, we have ‘borrowed’ the harness and safety ropes, and I have the stone saw inside a soft skin bag which is tied to my belt.  
Greirr has also brought closed lanterns, water skins and some biscuits, when I raised my eyebrows at these last two he told me that it was customary to carry such supplies when venturing deep into the caverns. It should have made me feel more confident, I suppose, that Greirr has taken all these precautions, all it did was make me feel sick to my stomach.

Ah well, it is too late now to say I have changed my mind, we are almost at the narrow stone bridge and Greirr is making his final preparations for my foray across it to where the red emeralds gleam. They seem to be calling to us both for we both look at them then back at each other, Greirr grins at me and I grin back no more regrets this is right and those stones should be appreciated and faceted properly and to do that they have to be freed from their rocky prison.

I buckle on the harness and Greirr checks the safety rope one more time; we do not speak of course for quietness is very needful here in these unstable caverns. I hope that the slight noise I will have to make when I prize the stones free will pass unremarked, surely in such a large expanse as the chasm the sound will not cause a problem. I asked Greirr about that yesterday and he seemed confident that as long as we made no loud noise all should be well.

We pause for a moment, taking in the silence, the caverns where work is normally undertaken are of course empty as all the workers prepare for Yule, so there are not even the normal everyday noises that my ears would normally pick up even from this distance. Far above me, very far, beyond the stone roof I make out the barely discernible sounds of the Keep coming to life.   
The Rohirrim are also making their own preparations for the Yuletide celebrations, Lord Erkenbrand is expecting other guests before the twelve days of Yule start in a few days’ time. There was even talk of Eomer King coming with Queen Lothiriel to spend a night here as they made their way home from Gondor to Edoras, it will be good to see them both again should they do so.

Finally Greirr is satisfied with his preparations, the rope attached to my harness is now looped around a large boulder as well as his waist and I know he has sufficient strength to take my weight without difficulty should I fall. Not that I intend to do so, still it makes Greirr happier to have as many precautions in place as possible and now is not the time for an argument, nor the place either.

We exchange another look and then I step out confidently, feeling my way across the narrow fissure of rock one foot at a time, careful not to dislodge any of the small stones and pebbles, it would not do for them to fall down into the abyss below and cause trouble for us. I make it to the other side without mishap and begin the painstaking task of easing the emeralds from the wall. It takes quite some time, for I am trying not to make any noise and do not want to damage them, but finally they are all pried free and are wrapped into the velvet cloth and tucked safely away in my tunic. My tools are returned to the bag at my waist and I am ready to make the return journey. 

I have just stepped onto the bridge when far above our heads the great horn of Helm Hammerhand is sounded, no doubt to welcome the arrival of the king and queen. The notes echo and reverberate around the cavern; it seems to me as if the very walls must implode given the fact they are so unstable but as the sound dies away nothing more than motes of dust descend from the roof. I hold my breath, hoping that my heart is not making as much noise as I think it is for it seems to be thundering in my chest. Time seems to stand still as Greirr and I wait anxiously, finally we breathe again and I continue my crossing. 

I have made it about half way when the dust from the roof is replaced by tiny pieces of grit, then pebbles join in the descent, and bigger stones are dislodged as well. Greirr urges me to hurry but it is too late.

The bridge begins to vibrate, as increasingly large pieces of stone and the debris from the roof cascade down onto it. At my feet a crack appears and rapidly widens, even if I were to leap or run I could not outpace the disintegration of the stone beneath me. I share one horror filled glance with Greirr and then plunge downwards as the rock gives way and all around me dust, stone, boulders and masonry falls inward into the crevasse taking me with them.

 

There is a sudden jerk on the harness as above me Greirr takes the strain of my fall. As I swing helplessly, trying my best to avoid hitting the sides of the chasm I feel myself being bodily pulled upwards, then I am scrabbling on the edge and as the stones continue to rain down on our heads. Greirr has my arm and hurries me across the narrow ledge toward the comparative safety of the tunnel. We reach it as a mighty cracking noise sounds around us and Greirr pushes me down to the ground ordering me to cover my head, which I do without arguing. The walls of the tunnel tremble and I fear we are about to be crushed but finally, finally things fall silent again and we dare to look up and amid the choking dust and dirt we realize we are alive and unhurt.

“Hurry”

I do not have to be told twice, without stopping to unfasten the harness I follow Greirr into the tunnels, both of us moving as quickly as we can in the dark and dust. We reach the fork where we should start to move back into the main cave system and speed up, and then Greirr stops so abruptly it is all I can do to avoid barreling into him.

“What is wrong?” I whisper as I regain my balance.

He does not answer although I hear him cursing softly as he lights one of the closed lanterns he had in his pack, when he lifts it up I see the reason we have stopped so suddenly 

Ahead of us the path is blocked by rubble, we are trapped!

 

 

Greirr's pov:

 

 

Heart hammering madly, I head for the tunnel, knowing without needing to look back that my friend is close on my heels. We have just reached the tunnel, when an ominous crack sounds above our heads. I turn back toward Legolas and shove him to the ground, calling out that he should cover his head, while I do the same and then there is nothing to do but pray that we are not now crouched inside our very tomb. Unbelievably we survive without so much as a scratch, but I realize we are not yet home and dry. The cavern entrance is now entirely blocked, and I can only hope that it is open on the other end.

 

“Hurry.” I croak through the dust in my throat and we are on our way again. Sadly it is no good. We have not quite reached the fork that would have lead us to safety and freedom, when I suddenly have to stop to prevent us crashing into a solid wall of rubble that is now blocking the exit of the tunnel as well. 

A hoarse voice behind me whispers, “What is wrong?” 

I am hardly keen to tell him, for I know I practically twisted his arm to come here with me, but there is no way to prevent him finding out now. I light the safety lantern I am carrying and hold it up to show him. Damn it we were so close! It is heartbreaking to think that we executed our plan without a hitch only to be undone by the sounding of the horn of Helm Hammerhand. Why could King Eomer and Queen Lothiriel not just wait until this afternoon to arrive? What a stroke of bad luck! A scant ten minutes more and we would have been home free! I cannot help swearing again at this turn of events. All my instruction on the art of obfuscation has been in vain. Now half the citizens of Aglarond will likely be drafted to search for us and by the time we are found, the whole world will know of our crimes and the likely outcome of them. It is a dreadful disappointment after we were so close to success. It could be a long miserable wait too, considering we are not likely to be missed until mid day and we’ve done everything we can to cover our tracks. 

Still I do not doubt they will find us, for the dwarves here have long practice in forming search parties and staging rescues in such circumstances. I feel a sharp pang of regret thinking of poor Mother when she hears of what happened, for my birth father was killed in a mining accident just before I was born. I also feel sorry for the trouble that I have caused Legolas, for he has said more than once that he wished to avoid trouble this visit and my uncle will be sick with worry by the time we are found. Worry that will no doubt descend into righteous rage once we are safely home. I have a feeling both sitting in comfort and staying alone in the rooms in the Keep will swiftly become a distant memory for my poor friend. Even admitting that the whole debacle was my idea is not likely to save him, for Lord Gimli is a great believer in each individual being held responsible for his own actions and thinking things through before acting. He will not like that I coerced Legolas into helping me, but knowing that fact will not get the elf off the hook either. I truly do feel dreadful about the situation we are now in and the one we will no doubt face once we are released from our prison. 

I look up at my friend to voice my sincere regret, when I realize he has gone deadly silent. His eyes are wide and panicked, very much reminding me of a rabbit I once caught in a trap when on a hunting trip with some friends. I had felt so sorry for it I had set it free and had taken a great deal of ribbing for doing so. I am suddenly very concerned.

“Legolas?” 

His eyes flit briefly to mine, but then go immediately back to the blocked tunnel. He shoves his way past me and starts to dig at the rubble.

I grab the back of his tunic to stop him for fear he will cause another rock fall, but he wrenches free. 

“Legolas! You must stop,” I warn him, “you’ll cause another cave in.”

“We have to get out!”

“We will get out,” I try to reason, “but the only thing to do is wait for someone to rescue us.”

This time I grab his shoulders with both hands, but he continues to struggle mightily so that I fear that the commotion he is making will kill us after all. I wrap my arms around him, effectively pinning his arms to his side and hang on with all my strength. He is much stronger than he appears to be and I wonder how long I can hold him in his panicked state.

“BE STILL,” I command in my deepest, sternest voice and he does settle down considerably, though he is trembling violently.

“We must get out. I cannot breathe!” he chokes out, but I tighten my grip on him and speak in a soothing voice.

“Of course you can breathe,” I assure him, “the air is good in here and will be for many days. We will be found long before there is any danger.”

“Are… are you sure?” he relaxes enough that I feel I can safely loosen my grip.

“I am sure,” I promise, “Here now, just try it. Take a deep breath.”

He does as I bid him, but begins to cough right away. 

“See, you are breathing,” I rub his back encouragingly and wonder that I find myself doing so, for I had thought my elven friend to be completely fearless. Oh I knew he was anxious about my plans, but it had nothing to do with fear and everything to do with possessing an over-developed conscience.. In this instance however, I can see that he is plainly petrified so I continue to support him.. “It is dusty, but you can breathe and the dust will settle down very soon.”

“Of course you are right,” he tells me. “We will just have to wait to be found. H…How long do you think it will take?”

“I cannot lie, my friend. It could take a good many hours. But we are quite safe, though I cannot promise that will be the case once we are found.”

He laughs ruefully at that, though it still has a hysterical tinge to the edges of it. 

“I am sorry, Greirr, I shouldn’t have panicked.”

“No, I am sorry, for getting us in this spot in the first place.” I say. And I truly am sorry. I should never have asked such a sacrifice of him, knowing his feelings about dark underground spaces, something that is not likely to be improved by this experience. Taking him by the arm, I lead him to the center of the tunnel. I do not mention that the reason is in case another cave in occurs we want to be as far from the piles of rubble as possible. I sit down with my back against the tunnel wall, and encourage Legolas to sit down beside me. 

“It is best that we keep as still as possible and speak only in whispers,” I advise him. “We must only risk making a little noise if we can hear rescuers searching for us and I wouldn’t expect that until this afternoon at the earliest.”

He nods in understanding, but cannot seem to speak for continuing to cough, reminding me that he must have inhaled large amounts of dust as the bridge crumbled right beneath his feet. It must have been a harrowing experience, for just observing it was horrifying enough. It occurs to me to wonder if he is injured at all.

Holding the lantern up to see him better, it is hard to tell if he is hurt under so much dirt. I can also see that his hair and clothing are thickly layered with grit and dust, even more so than mine, which are bad enough. His face is covered with black soot and his eyes are full of it if I am to judge by the black streaks that slide down his cheeks from the tears engendered by so much coughing. . His physical discomfort combined with the fact that he is still trembling and obviously terrified, in spite of the fact that he is now controlling his panic, works to make me feel tremendously guilty. 

Still I know he may not appreciate it if I do anything that will imply that I realize he is alarmed or in need of comfort, so I say nothing. But when he starts to wipe his poor streaming eyes on his filthy sleeve, I cannot take it any longer. I place a hand on his arm to stop him.

“Don’t rub your eyes, Legolas. You’ll only make it worse,” I tell him. “Here let me help you. 

I reach inside my inside tunic pocket and pull out a small handkerchief that is still clean. Sacrificing the smallest bit of water from my water skin, I dampen it and use it to wipe the thick dust from my friend’s eyes and face as best I can so that the cloth turns quite black. I hand him the water skin and advise him to rinse his mouth and spit and then swallow some of the water to sooth his throat and ease his coughing. He does so and hands the skin back to me before wrapping both arms around his shaking frame. 

“Better?” I ask, and again receive only a nod for an answer. I would almost rather he would curse at me or complain that this whole catastrophe is all my fault. Even being berated for hours while we wait for rescue would be preferable to his stony silence and shocked expression. It makes me so very uneasy, that I find myself babbling about how beautifully he managed to retrieve the emeralds and how close we came to success before things took a downhill turn. 

“We will be fine,” I finally say, “You do know that don’t you?”

“Of course,” he answers, but he does not sound convinced in the least. I have a sudden urge to place an arm around him to try to offer some little bit of comfort, but I have no idea how he would take such an action. Instead I just move close enough that his shoulder is touching mine and then settle in for a very long wait.

 

Gimli's pov:

 

With trembling hands I take the warm tea offered to me by my sister. Her face is as pale and grim as mine must be, for it has been a full day since Greirr or Legolas have been seen by anyone. I have stopped into Dorbryn’s apartments to give them a quick update before continuing on. How I regret that I did not form a search party, the moment I became uneasy, but at the time there seemed to be reasonable explanations for their absence.

I had expected to see them both at break of fast yesterday, for that is the ordinary custom, but when Mam told us that Greirr had left before dawn again, we all assumed he had gone to visit my elfling. When neither appeared, I was slightly annoyed that they didn’t let anyone know about their change of plans, but still I figured it was the arrival of Eomer King that had distracted them away. It wasn’t until I had gone to meet with Eomer myself at mid day and discovered that he had not seen them, that I began to really worry. 

With Thorûr’s help I made a quick search of the keep and the surrounding grounds, along with the common areas of the main caves, to no avail. Feeling quite sick, I had then organized search parties to make a thorough search, for it was clear that something was terribly amiss. Even so, I continued to hope that one of them would appear with a perfectly reasonable explanation, though as time passed my hope that that would be the case dimmed considerably. I knew very well that neither of them was so inconsiderate as to disappear for so long without word to anyone.

Still I continued to hope until someone noticed that there was some equipment missing from the Blue Cavern. A quick survey of all the workers showed that no one had removed it and afterwards a look around Dorbryn’s apartments found two missing safety lanterns and one missing stone saw. Knowing how meticulous Thorûr is about his tools, everyone’s heart sank at that discovery. The only thing that could mean was that the two young fools had gone off to explore some cavern for some unknown reason, though I couldn’t think what it would be considering Legolas’ dislike of dark underground places and his considerable restlessness last night that he attributed to having trouble acclimating to being in the caves. 

Looking back now, I realize that may have been a smokescreen to hide the true reasons for his ill ease. Likely it was whatever he had in mind to do today that had him in such a state, which means it was something he very well knew I wouldn’t approve of, which means whatever caverns they meant to explore were either considered unstable or were unexplored at all. That thought made my blood run cold, for some of the sound sensitive caverns deep underground could be set off by something so little as a sneeze sending rocks and debris to crush anyone who was so foolish to enter them. I have lost many friends, even highly trained miners, in cave-ins in the past so the idea that my elfling and my nephew may have been caught in one made me physically ill. 

Throughout the night I have been with the other workers, searching every known tunnel and cavern all the way in the very bowels of the cave system systematically ruling out one cavern after the other. Mostly the rescue crews have been working in shifts, but stopping to rest would be pointless for me for I would go mad if I had to be still. I must work, there is no other way, and I do not intend to stop until we find them one way or another. My knees go weak, not for the first time today as I briefly wonder if we are looking for bodies.

I shake myself to clear my head of that thought. I must not think it again and I must not indicate to Dorbryn or Mam that the idea has occurred to me either, because to let myself think such a thing would mean going insane with grief and being completely useless in the search effort. I am just about to step back into the corridor when one of the searchers hurries toward me.

“Lord Gimli, we may have found them!” he says. “We found two pair of boot prints just outside the southern tunnel that leads to the sound sensitive region. There has been a cave in!”

I feel the blood drain from my face and turn just in time to see Dorbryn swaying and Mam helping her to a chair. I do not wait long enough to see if she actually swoons or not, for I must alert the other search parties and make my way to the cave in. The time for searching has ended. We must now begin a rescue operation. I pray with every fiber of my being that a rescue is what it ends up to be.


	3. Chapter 3

“We will be fine, you do know that don’t you?”

“Of course,” I answered but it was easier to say than it was to believe and as the hours drag by I find it harder and harder to cling to hope.  
The darkness is complete now for the lanterns have burned out even with Greirr carefully husbanding them to make them last as long as possible. My night sight is excellent but there is nothing to see here, save dirt, dust and rubble, and a deep and deepening dark that creeps and slinks filling the tunnel with a blackness that makes it difficult to even see Greirr and he is sitting beside me our shoulders touching. That closeness is for my benefit I think and it does make things slightly easier to bear.  
I would never say this out loud but I would feel so much better if the dwarf sitting beside me was Gimli. I would be able to gain a great deal more comfort and reassurance to know that my guardian was at my side and I would not have to try to hide my growing distress as our imprisonment goes on.

I close my eyes as I recall the sudden drop as the bridge disintegrated beneath my feet, then the sharp tug as Greirr took the strain of my weight and began to haul me up towards him. I should not underestimate how much I owe my survival to his strength and tenacity. he is a son and nephew that anyone could take pride in, and if we ever get free of this dark dungeon I will be sure to tell him so. If I cannot have Gimli at my side then Greirr is an excellent substitute.

Despite this cheering thought my despair soon deepens again, I believed that when we made it away from those narrow ledges and into the tunnel system we were safe. To find our escape blocked off by the roof fall before us sent me into a panic, not my proudest moment by any means. I know better than to start pulling at rocks as I did. Gimli would be ashamed of my conduct. All his careful training and lecturing completely gone to waste.  
How many times has he attempted to drill into my thick skull the importance of patience and caution in such a situation as we find ourselves in presently?

Greirr and I have spoken very little since those first few frantic moments when he had to get me calmed down and that silence is for our safety as I know well enough. For we do not know how much more unstable this area of the Glittering Caves now is. The slightest noise might cause further rock falls and bury us alive. I cannot help the shudder that runs through me at this thought and Greirr stirs beside me and a warm hand on my arm offers reassurance.

“They will find us” he offers softly and I nod in return trying a smile which he may or may not be able to see in the darkness of the tunnel.

They may find us. I am certain that Gimli will not rest until he does so, but will it be too late?  
And even if we are alive how can they move all of these rocks without causing another cave in.

I close my eyes and make myself think of green and growing things, of the sky and the wind and the stars it offers me some small consolation but my eyes fly open as I hear Greirr whisper softly as if to himself, “they have to find us” and I hear the note of rising panic in his voice.

How selfish I have been. How foolish not to have noticed that Greirr too is frightened. He is still young, yes he likes to tease me that he is now my elder, but by the mores of his people he is still very young and his own father was killed in similar circumstances to this, even before he was born. Of course he must be scared.

I put out a hand and draw him closer bedamned to pride, his or mine, and make myself sound far more confident than I actually am. “Gimli will find a way to get us free, if only so that he can kill us himself” and I realize from the shaking shoulders that Greirr is laughing at this feeble attempt at humor and I feel immeasurably pleased with myself.

I think we must have both fallen into sleep for I am woken by the soft sound of tapping from the far side of the rock fall. I shake Greirr awake and he blinks and then turns to the sound as well and even in the blackness I see his wide grin.  
He uses the hilt of his knife to respond to the tapping and then listens as there is a reply and I realize that they are communicating through the number of taps they send each other.

I understand that we are not yet free but the fact that someone knows we are here and unhurt save for a few cuts and bruises makes me want to sing. I curb my enthusiasm of course, and wait quietly as the tiniest of holes appears through the tumbled rock and a sliver of light illuminates our prison.

There is more tapping and Greirr motions for me to move further back into the tunnel and to take what cover I can. We are probably in as much danger now as we have ever been yet I feel a rising sense of relief and belief that we will soon be safe and well.

Well, safe at least. Strange but in all the long hours of our incarceration I have not really thought of what will happen after we are freed.

The whole sorry tale of our deliberate disobedience and defiance of the rules set in place to ensure safety in the caverns will come to light and yet I do not care how much trouble I am in if only I can see the sky and breathe fresh air again and feel the strength of Gimli’s arms about me.

The work to free us moves slowly and whenever there is the slightest noise it ceases completely until our rescuers are certain that all is well again.

Eventually a small hole is made and propped up with wood and axe handles and I can see light from the workers lanterns then a beloved face comes into view. Dark eyes red rimmed, beard covered in dirt and dust, face pale with lines of strain showing clearly yet I rejoice to see him and the expression of relief that covers his visage as he catches sight of Greirr and myself is a mute testimony of the fear and worry that has probably consumed him in these last hours.

He beckons for me to slide through but I make Greirr go through first. He is broader shouldered than I am and it is something of a squeeze but strong hands pull him through while I push so that eventually he wriggles free and then it is my turn I lie on my back and put my arms above my head. My hands are grasped and I slide out like a cork out of a bottle.

Quietly the rescuers move back down the tunnel with Greirr and I stumbling along beside them and then finally we are out of the danger area and there is a burst of cheering from the rescue party and I find myself clasped into Gimli’s arms just as Greirr is being held by Thorûr.  
A healer bustles up to check that we are not seriously harmed and someone else offers us a water skin, which I take gratefully, and swallow the clear cold water with relish.

In the general hub-bub Gimli raises a hand and demands silence, “I thank ye all for your efforts here today, and there will be time for questions and answers later. For now these lads need a bath and some food. This whole area is off limits until we can send in an engineering squad to survey it and that will not be until after Yule. For now let me just say that I intend to hold a proper celebration for the safe return of our loved ones very soon to which ye are all invited of course. Now let us be on our way so everyone can share our good news and Lady Dorbryn and Lady Vonild can stop fretting themselves into flinders.”

There is much laughter and many words of cheer as we part company, but my heart quails at the thought of the reckoning that lies ahead.  
As we traverse the hallways more dwarves come out to see our return. I am ashamed for the fact that so many were worried or concerned for us and are so happy and relieved to see us return relatively unscathed I risk a quick look in Greirr’s direction and I can see he is as uncomfortable as I am over the trouble we have caused the folks of Aglarond.

But there is no time to exchange anything other than a grimace because we have reached Gimli’s private quarters and as we enter I catch my first glimpse of Mam and Dorbryn and their anxious faces and drawn features causes me to falter and Gimli has to push me inside because I find I cannot move independently.

Both ladies let out cries of delight and relief and Greirr is caught up in a fierce embrace by first his Mam and then by his Amma who scold and weep and hug him in turn. I feel strangely bereft watching this reunion but only for a short period for Lady Vonild turns holds out an arm and I fall to my knees as she pulls me into her embrace, kissing my brow and brushing my hair out of my eyes all the while admonishing me for my conduct.

She rocks me back and forth, whispering what a foolish child I am; how I have shortened her life span and turned her beard white.

“What possessed ye?” she finally asks wiping her eyes and holding me away from her arms.

I do not know how to answer, but I do not have to for Gimli speaks up

“Time for questions later, Mam. For now these two need a good scrub and a meal. Do we have plenty of hot water available?”

“Aye, we do, although given this naughty pairs antics this day I would have thought they had already been in enough hot water.” Mam’s hands are on her hips but her eyes are gleaming and Dorbryn is already leading Greirr off to his bedchamber with Thorûr bringing up the rear carrying two cans of hot water.

I am left with Gimli and Mam who takes charge ordering her son to put more water onto boil, “it is going to take more than one wash to get this one clean.”

“It will at that,” Gimli takes my arm and hauls me off into his own bed chamber where I catch a first glimpse of my reflection in the burnished copper mirror. I do not believe I have ever been this filthy before, my clothing is covered in a thick layer of dirt. My hair hangs in grimy bangs, but it is my face that catches most of my attention. Greirr had attempted to wipe the worst of the dust out of my eyes, when we were first caught in the rock fall, now I clearly see the trails of tears on my cheeks, and I am grateful for the filth that hides my blush.

A copper tub is set by the fire and Gimli begins to fill it with the cans of hot water, ordering me to strip and climb in. I have scarcely managed this when Mam enters enveloped in a large apron, she rolls up her sleeves and picks up a brush and soap and is soon scrubbing away. She says it is to get me clean of the dirt and dust but it feels more like she is doing her best to remove a layer of my skin altogether but I dare not complain, not with Gimli glowering at me every time he comes in with fresh cans of hot water.

 

In fact it takes three lots of water before Mam decides I am returned to what she terms ‘elvish immaculacy’ and I am allowed to dress in the clean clothes Gimli has set out for me.  
I feel better for being clean but also recognise that it is now that I must face the music for what has happened. Mam picks up my discarded clothes and finds the bag of red emeralds that I had hidden there, what seems a lifetime ago, she doesn’t ask what it is but merely puts the bag onto a table next to my belt and knife sheathes to be cleaned separately.

“Come Lamb” Gimli encourages. “Ye must be hungry.”

“I was” I admit, “But no longer.”

“There will be no questions asked nor sanctions leveled until the pair of ye have eaten.” Mam declares, “The tale will wait. The important thing is that ye have been returned to us unharmed and for that I thank Mahal. Aye and Gimli and Thorûr have to bathe as well. They may not be quite as ‘mucky’ as you two were,” she looks at Greirr and me “but they have spent a long day searching and they’ll be a deal more comfortable for a hot bath and clean clothing. It might even soften their anger a little,” she adds with a chuckle as Gimli and Thorûr growl but they go off to clean themselves while Mam and Dorbryn bustle about putting food on the table and heating soup.

While they are in the kitchen Greirr grabs my hand and whispers, “all we have to say is that we were exploring where we shouldn’t have been and got caught out in the rock fall.”

“We will still be in trouble” I whisper in return, thinking it would be wiser to admit the whole thing at once, but Greirr shakes his head vehemently and reminds me that we are trying to surprise Mam with her gift and if we speak of them now it will spoil Yule morning.

He gives me a grin which I am sure is supposed to reassure me and says, “All will be well. Just watch and learn”

Oh dear!

By the time Thorûr and Gimli return from their baths, Greirr and I have finished our meal and are doing our best not to fidget as we await their questioning.

They take their time settling into their chairs, lighting their pipes, and then finally Gimli blows out a string of smoke rings, raises an eyebrow and after looking us both in the eye one after the other, utters just one word.

“Explain”

We exchange looks and Greirr who up till now has been radiating calm and assurance swallows, coughs, and mumbles “uh!” then falls silent again.

Gimli’s attention turns to me. “Elfling?”

“I … we … that is … I heard about the sound sensitive cavern and wanted to go and have a look and …” I start only to be interrupted by Greirr

“It was all my fault uncle, I persuaded Legolas to go with me …”

“No, no it wasn’t like that I really did want to go truly I did …”

“Why?”

“Why?” we both chorus at the same time.

“Aye, why did ye wish to go that part of the cave system, when ye both know it is out of bounds and dangerous?”

“I just wanted to see it for myself”

“And for that you needed, ropes, a harness, safety lanterns, and food?” Thorûr joins in the inquisition.

“Not to mention a stone saw” Gimli adds and I see he is holding the bag that was tied to my belt and I wonder if he has already looked into the small bag that holds the red emeralds.

“We … we …” inspiration strikes, “we were on our way to the Blue Cavern to cut some quartz but I wanted to see the other cave first …” My voice tails off as Gimli’s face which was already looking thunderous now takes on the hue of a volcano about to erupt. Beside me I hear Greirr groan and drop his head into his hands …  
I look from one dwarven face to another, and realize that when Greirr allowed me to ‘practice’ on the quartz and told me that ‘It’s only quartz. No one will mind.’ he was being less than fully truthful just as I knew I was doing wrong even then. “That is,” I add, doing my best to dig us out of the hole I have just dropped us into. “I wanted to see how it would be cut, if it was going to be cut, which of course I know is not what you wish for Aglarond Gimli, and which of course we did not do, because well, the horn sounded for the arrival of Eomer King and .” I shrug, “you know the rest.”

“Ye were missing for hours, ye could have been killed, and ye tell me it was to assuage your curiosity?”

Gimli’s voice rises on each word he enunciates and I duck my head and mumble “I am truly sorry.”

I can see that Gimli is reliving the hours he searched for us and the fear that he must have felt when he saw the cave in and knew what he might find behind it and I cannot but feel that whatever happens next I will be fully deserving of it.  
Just when I think he will grab hold of me Mam’s voice cuts through the growing tension

“Listen to me all of ye, I have lost a husband in the last year, and I am just grateful that today I have not lost my two grandsons.” She raises a hand to stop the expected interruptions from her children. “I know, they made a foolish choice, and it could have been fatal, I agree on another day or at another time, I would be the first to be reaching for a paddle, but not now please. They could have been killed but Aûle be praised they were spared. Let us celebrate that fact, it is almost Yule and we have been given a great gift this day don’t let us waste it on hurt and argument. All of my remaining family are here, united in joy, let us celebrate that fact.”

 

Xxxxx

“Ye were missing for hours, ye could have been killed, and ye tell me it was to assuage your curiosity?” I demand, not believing such a thing for one second! Greirr might have done so, but Legolas is not even entirely comfortable in the safest most settled parts of the caverns. I know for a fact that he did not go deep underground in a place he knew very well was unstable just because he wanted to see it. It is the most ridiculous cover story I have ever heard, and I have heard my fair share of them in the past twenty odd years. There is more to this story-much more and I am about to insist on the truth, when Mam pipes in with her oh so helpful advice.

“Listen to me all of ye, I have lost a husband in the last year, and I am just grateful that today I have not lost my two grandsons. I know, they made a foolish choice, and it could have been fatal, I agree on another day or at another time, I would be the first to be reaching for a paddle, but not now please. They could have been killed but Aûle be praised they were spared. Let us celebrate that fact, it is almost Yule and we have been given a great gift this day don’t let us waste it on hurt and argument. All of my remaining family are here, united in joy, let us celebrate that fact.”

I look up at her and sigh feeling my heart turn over in sympathy for her. It is true, it has been a difficult year for all of us, and it is no wonder she does not like to see those of her remaining family at odds with one another. Still laws were broken and lives endangered and from what I can see lie after lie told, and I am not willing to let that go just because Lady Vonild wants to see everyone smiling. There is no need to argue with her however, for it is completely unnecessary to do anything to upset her. So instead of disagreeing with her I merely rise and take her hands.

“With you here, Mam, of course we are united in joy,” I say, “ You are right that a celebration is in order!”

Her eyes are bright with unshed tears, but she smiles broadly and pulls me into a tight embrace. Over her shoulder I send Dorbryn a meaningful look, which she understands immediately.

“Come Mam,” Dorbryn says, “wouldn’t you like to go with me to help with the feast preparations? We can leave these four to rest, for they have all had a long difficult day while we help in the kitchens. I know everyone will be thrilled if you consent to making your famous pound cakes.”

This time it is Dorbryn she hugs tightly and then takes her by the hand and waves goodbye while admonishing us to get some rest while they are gone. I fully intend to for it has been a long terrible day, but not until things have been settled and I have heard the full truth of what actually took place.

As soon as the door closes behind them and I hear their footsteps fade away, I turn back to face the pair of miscreants before me.

“Both of ye will be attending that celebration, make no mistake, and ye will smile for Lady Vonild’s sake no matter how uncomfortable ye are with the situation.,” I order them. “Also ye will give no indication whatsoever of what is about to be said here, for ye will answer for your crimes no matter what Mam says about it and ye WILL NOT say or do anything that will upset her further on this matter. Ye should both be thoroughly ashamed of having worried her so after what she has suffered already this year! Do ye have any idea how your actions have hurt others and even put lives at risk?”

I see my words are having the desired effect, for both nod and look down, but I am determined to get the full truth, so I continue speaking.

“Now we are going to begin this again, and this time I will not tolerate your foolish lies. After what has been done to dig the two of ye out of what surely would have been your grave, ye should at least have enough respect to honor us with the truth. I will accept nothing less. Now…. EXPLAIN.”

There is a long silence in which the two of them glance at one another, looking pained and uncertain of what to say. For whatever reason it seems very important to them to hide the reasons behind their actions, but I am not about to let that happen. The jig, as they say, is definitely up.

Finally Legolas sends Greirr a desperate look and my nephew nods as if agreeing to finally confessing the truth.

It seems that this was a long planned adventure, at least on Greirr’s part as he began thinking of doing it since Lord Gloin died. I hear Thorûr growl to find out that this was not the first time the two of them were in those caves, nor even the second time for Greirr who had inspected them on several occasions before coming to the conclusion that he was too heavy for the bridge to support his weight. He had all but given up the idea until Mam surprised us by visiting. Getting Legolas involved had seemed the perfect answer since he should have no trouble at all crossing the bridge as long as they took proper safety precautions.

“Just entering those caverns goes against all bounds of proper safety precautions!” Thorûr points out. “You risked your life every time you entered them.”

“I know it, Da, but it was the only place the emeralds could be found,” Greirr says. “Other than entering the caverns themselves, we were very careful. If it hadn’t been for the heralding of the king, we would have been perfectly fine.”

This time it is Legolas who groans and covers his face with his hands, likely realizing that his partner in crime is hardly helping their case. I have a strange urge to laugh at his reaction, but this is too serious a matter, so I force myself to remain stern.

‘All right then, just so we all understand things, let me summarize,” I say. “Ye have broken the laws of this land repeatedly, ye’ve defaced these caves, stolen property, caused others to have to risk their lives to rescue ye, and then lied about everything. Does that about cover it?”

I have to admit that my heart is swayed a bit when they look up at me forlornly, with exhausted and bloodshot eyes. Both have continued to cough since we found them having managed to seriously irritate their lungs by inhaling so much dust, and will likely be spitting black dirt for days if not ending up with some sort of lung infection. I know very well, too that it must have been horrifying to have been trapped for so long, having nothing to do but wait for a rescue that might not come in time.

And of course, their motives were pure. Wanting to please Mam on her first Yule without Da, was a noble thought to be sure. Fulfilling his dream to give her the rare red emeralds was a lovely idea indeed. Still I must not show any signs of approval, for their actions were dangerous and illegal and not to be taken lightly no matter the motivation so I go doggedly on.

 

“Well?”

It is not pleasant hearing to have it stated so baldly, but they cannot deny the truth of my words.

“In that case,” I continue, “we will begin by your returning what ye’ve stolen. The gear taken from the Blue Cavern is lost for good, but ye will hand over both the quartz pieces and the emeralds, for ye had no right to take them in the first place.”

This engenders a couple of very anguished looks, but having no ground to stand on there is nothing for them to do but obey my commands. Without even looking at the offered stones, I put them in my tunic pocket.

When everyone is seated again it is time to hand out my judgment on the matter as Lord of the land., so I clear my throat and speak seriously.

“The signs that are posted in these caves are not to be considered a ‘suggestion’. Anyone disregarding them is breaking the laws that I have personally put in place for the safety of the residents here.”

I turn my eyes to my elfling, who looks rather miserable by now, but I harden my heart and go on.

“Were ye any other elf on Arda , laddie, ye’d be escorted to the edge of this realm and asked not to return without express invitation from me, for I do not take kindly to visitors flouting my laws,” I inform him, “however since ye are considered dwarf kin and my ward besides, ye will be treated as any other underage citizen would be under similar circumstances. That means ye are to be handed over to a parent or guardian to be dealt with however they see fit, which I suppose means I am handing you over to myself and we will discuss what that means for ye privately when we are finished here.”

I now turn toward Greirr.

 

“You, my dear nephew, will be dealt with in the same manner, though I will remind ye that ye should consider yourself very lucky indeed, for I could have decided to deal with ye as an adult, which might have meant weeks or even months of home confinement besides many hours of community service working wherever I saw fit to put ye and likely still having to answer to your folks besides.” Greirr looks a bit gray at that thought, but relieved that I have not sentenced him in such a harsh way. “It is because ye are just a few months past your majority and ye have no record of such behavior in the past and because I know your folks well enough to know ye will be made fully aware of the seriousness of your actions, that I am turning ye over to your da here. Another time I might not be so lenient. Now do either of ye have anything else to say before we depart?”

“No Gimli,” Legolas answers at the same time Greirr says, “Yes.”

“Please don’t be too angry with Legolas,” Greirr pleads, “It was my…”

“Greirr!” Legolas interrupts him, “There is no need. I wanted to do it.”

“No you didn’t,” Greirr argues, “you would never have done it if I hadn’t…”

“Greirr, hush! It isn’t necessary to…”

I hold up a hand to stop his words. Clearly Legolas does not wish my nephew to tell his tale, likely worrying that Greirr will find himself in even more trouble if the full truth comes out, but I am quite interested in hearing the rest of the story.

“Finish what ye were about to say, Lad,” I encourage him. “I’d like to hear it.”

“I knew what I was doing, Gimli, and I wanted to do it!” Legolas states, before Greirr can speak.

“All right then lamb, thank ye for telling me,” I say. “Ye may go now and wait for me in my bedchamber.”

“But Gimli, I…”

“Legolas!” my voice holds a warning note that he cannot misunderstand, so he reluctantly leaves the room, offering his friend one sympathetic glance. After he is gone I gesture to my nephew to continue what he was about to say.

“He didn’t want to do it, Uncle,” he confesses in a rush, “He asked me to think of something else for Amma, but I nagged and begged until he agreed. I had to talk him into it at least three times by telling him how much it would mean to Lady Vonild and how I couldn’t do it without him. He didn’t want to anger you and was very reluctant to even enter the caves to begin with. I practically forced him to assist me”

I raise an eyebrow at that, for it dawns on me that Legolas wouldn’t have much experience in that sort of pressure from peers to get involved in mischief having grown up mostly without any other young folks about.

“Anything else?” I ask

“I…I lied to him about the quartz,” he admits, causing Thorûr to put a hand to his forehead as if in pain. “I told him it was fine to cut it, so you see, you mustn’t blame him too much. You won’t be too hard on him will you?”

“I will keep what ye’ve said in mind, lad,” I tell him, though I do not make any promises. A healthy dose of guilt might do the boy some good and help him think again before he decides to invite anyone else into trouble with him. “I will leave ye to make your own arrangements on how to deal with this matter,” I say turning to my brother in law. I wonder if he realized what he was taking on when he married my sister so many years ago.

With that I make my way to my bedchamber, where my own elfling is anxiously awaiting my arrival and his fate. I find him sitting on the edge of my bed still coughing a little and twisting the hem of his tunic in his hands. He looks up at me with red rimmed and suspiciously bright eyes as if he is already trying hard not to cry. That very likely could be the case, for I feel almost like weeping myself after all we’ve been through this day. He must have been terrified when the cave collapsed and is no doubt suffering from severe fatigue even more so than I am. It is in everyone’s best interest if I deal with him quickly so we can move on from this terrible day. I sit beside him and pull him against my shoulder.

“Rough day, lamb?”

I know it is quite an understatement, but the sympathetic tone is enough to cause tears to start. He nods into my shoulder and begins weeping quietly. I pull him closer, stroking his hair for a while but then push him back again so I can see his face and explain exactly how this is going to go.

“Listen carefully elfling, for I only intend to say this once. Tonight I expect ye to attend the celebration, though ye are not to go beyond my reach the entire night unless I say you may.. In fact ye are not to go beyond my sight until after Yule unless ye have my express permission to do so, which will only happen if I know exactly where ye are going, who you will be with and how long you will be gone. I expect nothing but model behavior from you and failing to do so will result in more trouble than ye can imagine. Understand?”

“Yes Gimli.”

“Very good,” I say, “in that case we shall move on. I am sure ye realize ye have earned yourself a a trip across my knee and since I see no reason to postpone it, I would suggest ye lower your legging and place yourself in the required position. After that a nice long rest is in order. Ye look ready to drop and I feel the same way. Is that all plain enough?”

Evidently it is, for he is quick to follow my instructions. I do not bother with further discussion, but set to the task at hand, determined to make my point as clear as possible. It is hardly the harshest punishment he has ever had to endure at my hand. In fact he is unlikely to feel the sting beyond tomorrow, but he was so near tears before we even began that he is very soon sobbing into the quilt. I carry on only a few seconds more before reordering his clothing and lifting him to sit in my lap.

I rub his back until he is under control again, and then kiss his brow.

“What happens next?” I ask, gently reminding him that I expect compliance with my orders.

“Sleep?” he correctly answers, and I have to smile at the hopeful tone in his voice, for I know just how he feels. It has been a grueling day.

I pull back the covers and he obediently climbs in. I crawl in with him as well and then pull him into my arms so that his head is pillowed on my shoulder. We are both asleep in no time at all. I do not know how long I sleep, but at some point, I hear someone open the bedchamber door. I open one eye just a crack and see Mam framed in the doorway smiling down on us and looking content. Legolas hasn’t moved a muscle, which proves the extent of his exhaustion, for he normally sleeps like a restless maniac. Knowing he is right next to me and safe within my arms, I have no desire to rise yet for the worry and strain of the past day has exhausted me as well.

I sleep once more, only this time dreaming of Lord Gloin. I can see his smiling face as he gives Lady Vonild a gift, which she opens with wide sparkling eyes. Cushioned in a velvet-lined box are the most exquisite pair of red beryl emerald earrings set in filigreed platinum. Clear quartz droplets hang from each one. Mam’s smile is radiant as she throws her arms around da’s neck. When she does so, he catches my eye over her shoulder and raises an eyebrow, clearly trying to tell me something.

I wake with a start, for the dream was so real that I can almost smell da’s pipe smoke in the room. I reach into my tunic pocket and open the small velvet bag that contains the stones that have caused us so much hurt and chaos this day. Pouring them into my hand I examine each one. They are quite impressive, large and perfect. No doubt if they were correctly faceted and presented they would be absolutely stunning.

Closing my eyes again, I can see Lord Gloin in my mind’s eye, smiling with great satisfaction. I know very well what I must do.

 

XXXX

The celebration feast is every bit as excruciating as I had feared it would be Greirr and I are not exactly being shunned by the guests but they have made it very plain through their looks and comments that they believe that our conduct has left a great deal to be wanting.

Oh they are happy that we have been rescued, of course they are, and they wish to salute those who took part in the search and rescue attempt. For as Gimli said in his welcoming speech, they all took time out from their preparations for Yule to spend time searching for ‘a pair of fools’ and could have put their own lives at risk in doing so.  
Gimli has offered his thanks to them all of course, but I intend to seek his approval for me to go and see each of those involved in person to apologize and thank them. I hope he will give me permission; it will at least in some way assuage my guilt. But he may insist on accompanying me, since he has decreed I am not to stray from his side for the rest of my visit, which would be mortifying, as if I were a child being forced to say ‘sorry’ for some misdeed. Still if that is the only way it can be managed so be it, it must be done, and it will serve me right to be made to look ridiculous in front of the dwarves of Aglarond it is my fault that I may find myself in such a situation no one else’s.

 

For now I sit at the top table, the sinecure of all eyes and do my best not to squirm. It is not so much physical discomfort that makes me shift and writhe in my seat, but embarrassment and distress for all the trouble I have caused the folk here and of course the worry I have heaped on Gimli, Mam and the family. I would sooner have faced a birching than to see the look in Gimli’s eyes as the truth was finally drawn out of us.  
Having said that I am glad that I chose to wear breeches and the calf length tunic rather than my normal leggings, Gimli has a hard hand, although he was by no means as harsh as he might have and probably should have been …  
I do not think Greirr was treated as lightly as I was, and that is another cause of distress for me. While it is true he was the instigator of our plans, I carry the same level of culpability I could have, should have said no.

When we assembled in the main room to come down to the hall for the feast Greirr looked very uncomfortable, so much so that I think Mam may have become suspicious as to what had happened to us in her absence. But when she questioned her grandson he said only that he was ashamed of what had happened and fully understood why his parents and uncle had been so angry with him.

“I have been shown to be foolish and unreliable” he added, “and it is just that I should be seen to have learned my lesson when we go into the hall tonight. I only wish that Legolas was not made to bear my shame.”

But I was not about to hide away from view, as I pointed out, there was only one elf in Aglarond and everyone knew who had been rescued, so I could hardly pretend I was not involved, “If we have to face the general disapproval of your folk, I would sooner do it at your side,” I told him.  
While Mam growled that if anyone showed disrespect or commented poorly on either of her grandsons they would regret it which made everyone smile.  
So I sit here and attempt to eat some of the food on my plate and pray that this night will soon end. I still feel exhausted and my chest aches from all the coughing I have been doing and all I want to do is crawl into bed and pull the covers over my head although that will probably not help me find rest.

While I slept well this afternoon, because Gimli was beside me I fear that tonight I will struggle to sleep at all, because the memories of being incarcerated in the tunnel after the cave in are still too close. Even here in the great hall I am battling with the feeling of being ‘closed in’.  
I desperately want to feel the wind on my face and see the stars, but that is not going to happen tonight I will be expected to stay within the family quarters and so must do my best to endure the night encased in stone.  
Despite my every effort a shiver runs down my spine and of course Gimli notices.

“What is it Lamb are ye unwell?”

His sympathy is almost more than I can bear and certainly more than I deserve, I summon up a wan smile and assure him I am fine, he looks less than satisfied but his attention is called away by Mam and so I am spared an inquisition on my health.  
Greirr gives me a look and I shrug, there is nothing to be done but to endure this evening and tonight because I will not make myself look even more ridiculous by confessing that I am afraid of the stone walls about me.

Eventually the feast winds down and seeing our exhaustion Mam decrees that it is time for Greirr and me to return to the family quarters, “it has been a long day for all of us,” she announces, “and we would all benefit from a good night’s rest.”

There are no arguments from any of her family and so we make our farewells and return home, Greirr disappears into his room, as soon as we are inside and Dorbryn and Thorûr are quick to follow him, wishing the rest of us a good night. Mam in contrast sits down in a chair by the fire and beckons me to come and sit beside her.

“Some tea would be nice” she tells Gimli obviously expecting him to go off and make some. He rolls his eyes but does as she suggests and I am left alone with Mam.

“Now,” she begins, “ye can tell me what is wrong with ye, and do not say nothing,” she tugs lightly on my back braid, “something is the matter, and I wager it is more than just being in disgrace with my son. Ye know Gimli well enough to realize he does not hold a grudge, and once he has had his say, which I do not doubt he did as soon as I was out of the room” her dark eyes twinkle at me, “all is forgiven, so what is it that has had ye on edge all evening?”

“I assure you I am well enough, I did not enjoy the dinner, but then I was not supposed to do so was I?”  
Mam lifts my chin in one hand, and looks deep into my eyes. “Aye, that is true enough, Gimli had to show that he did not treat ye or Greirr any different from any other young dwarf who might have done something so foolish. But I know ye do not shirk from accepting responsibility and facing up to consequences so I doubt me that, that is the reason I can see such dread in your eyes this night and why it has gotten worse as the evening went on. Now there is no need to look so embarrassed” she adds as I flush uncomfortably and try to look away. “I doubt anyone else would have noticed save Gimli and he of course was distracted by other things.” She runs her free hand over my hair, “I have been a mother and grandmother a long time you know, and there is nothing ye can tell me that will upset me, in fact the only thing that will upset me is if ye don’t tell me what is on that sweet mind of yours.” She shakes my chin gently and I find I cannot stop myself admitting my fear of being underground tonight.

“Eh, child” she holds me close and looks over my head at where I suspect Gimli has been standing for some time.

“Of course ye are not going to be sleeping down here tonight, ye daft elf” Gimli comes forward and hands me a mug of tea, before pouring another one for his Mam. “Did ye think I would not know how you would feel? As soon as ye have drunk that tea we will be going up to the Keep.”

“There is no need for you to go with me!”

“Of course I am coming with ye, did I not say ye were to be no further away from me than an arms-length for the rest of the visit? My arms ain’t that long lad.”

I cannot help the slightly hysterical laughter that comes to my lips but nor can I hide my relief at knowing my beloved dwarf will be with me tonight to keep the night terrors away.

 

In the end I sleep well, and I have to wonder if there was something more in the herb tea than usual, for I could scarce stay awake long enough to stumble up to the keep and prepare for bed. I wake well after dawn, and find Gimli already at work on something at the table that sits under the window.  
Once he realizes I am awake he puts away his jewelry tools and we make our way back through the Deep, stopping only briefly to make our obeisance to Eomer King and Queen Lothiriel who are taking first meal with Lord Erkenbrand. They invite me to visit with them on my return journey and I say I will try to do so although it will depend very much on whether I am traveling north or south.

Then we go down into Aglarond again and I am left in the care of Dorbryn and Mam along with Greirr, while Gimli and Thorûr go off together on some task or other. Since both Mam and Dorbryn are busy with baking for Yule Greirr and I have little more to do than sit and keep each other company.

I am happy to see Greirr is looking a great deal better today, and less fidgety so I assume that he is in less pain than last evening physically at least. We agree that there is little to be gained from going over what happened yesterday, and then sit and look at each other for a while before Greirr says that he is sorry that he no longer has a gift to give his Amma and little opportunity to make one.

With Mam’s consent I go into my chamber to sort through the small chest that contains my clothing. Near the bottom there is a roll of soft cloth and a set of tools as well as a box that I have been working on during the journey south with Mam. It is not what we wanted to give her but I wonder if perhaps if Greirr and I work on it together if we can at least turn it into a passable jewelry box for her. Greirr like all his family is a skilled metal worker, and together we talk over the ideas for decorating the lid with a dwarfish rune design while I will carve elven patterns around the sides. As we make our sketches I get the feeling that someone is looking over my shoulder and when I look up Greirr is also turning as if someone has just brushed passed him and looked at his designs as well.

“Did you just …” I begin

While Greirr starts, “I thought I …”

We both laugh somewhat embarrassedly and shrug off our disquiet but when we come to compare our work we both draw a sharp breath because they match perfectly as if we have designed them in tandem.  
They will look wonderful when they are put together.  
I do not know where our ideas came from or why they complement each other so well, but it feels to me as if someone had suggested it to us without us realizing it. When Greirr goes off to speak with his Mam to get her cooperation to allow us to work on the box without his Amma seeing what we are doing I sit and ponder on the amazing coincidences that sometimes occur in life. And while I say nothing to Greirr on his return I am certain that just briefly I saw Lord Gloin smiling at me and nodding his approval, foolish I know but that is what I saw I know it …

Putting that aside fortunately for us, once we explain what we are trying to do Dorbryn proves willing to help us and to let us work in her private rooms, agreeing with Mam that we ought to be kept occupied she tells her mother that she has given us some what she calls ‘busy work’ to complete. “And they canna leave these quarters without coming through the main living area or the kitchen” she concludes “so they are both under our watch but out of our beards which will suit us very well.”

So it is that we have almost a whole day to work on the box and the silver runes that will be inlaid in the lid. It serves its purpose in two ways for we are as Dorbryn said kept busy but it also lets us talk together and put the disappointments and disasters of yesterday behind us and to begin to talk with enthusiasm of the celebrations of Yule that are to come.

When Dorbryn comes in to warn us that Gimli is on his way home, she admires what we have achieved and promises to do her best to give us time to finish our work in the morning. “I even have some lovely velvet that would line your box very nicely,” she declares, “I will make a nice cushion to sit inside as well it will finish it off a treat.”

We are all so happy with the box that I find myself wishing that we had chosen this particular gift at the outset it would have saved us all a great deal of trouble.


	4. Chapter 4

For all his determination that I do not stray beyond the length of his arm, I see little of Gimli in the days leading up to Yule.  
He and Thorûr have some sort of project that they are working on together which means that they are often absent working in the forges deep in the caverns but when they return in the evenings they are both so pleased with whatever it is they are doing that the nights pass pleasantly enough.  
As for the days once Greirr and I have completed our work on the jewelry box and it is laid aside to be wrapped up on the eve of Yule we find we have enough to occupy ourselves. Mam conscripts us into being her fetch and carriers, and we spend our time following her about, running errands, helping with the decorations and so on. 

At home the halls would be decked with fresh greenery. Here in the caverns lanterns of myriad hues are hung, and beautiful metallic and glass baubles strung around the walls. Light bounces off the glass and metal, making the caves seem to shimmer with light and colour.

There is no need for the crystals and gem stones that fill the inner caverns for the craft of the dwarves give even the simple stone walls of the outer caves a magical appearance while the whole cave system is filled with the tantalizing aromas of Yule cooking. Spiced meats, roasts, pies, and sweetmeats and of course the smells of the malted ale and black beer that the dwarves of the Lonely Mountain had become rightly famous for and which tradition Gimli had now carried on in Aglarond.

On the eve of Yule there is to be another feast and I am looking forward to it unlike the one of a few days before. 

Gimli has continued to sleep in my chambers in the Keep rather than insist on my remaining underground in the last few days, but tonight I want to be with the rest of my dwarven kin and so I have already made it plain that I will sleep in the cave system under Helms Deep.

It is important to me to be there when we all gather for break of fast tomorrow, when the special Yule breads are cut and family gifts exchanged. 

I wish with all my heart that I was able to give Mam the red emerald earrings but it is not to be and I have come to see that being with loved ones and being safe is more important than actual physical gifts.

Dorbryn has taken the wooden jewelry box so that she can add her velvet interior to it. She has promised to wrap it ready for it to be given to Mam in the morning. I can hardly wait to see Mam’s face when she opens her gift. I am sure she will be surprised and I hope she will be pleased.

For now I have to dress ready for tonight’s feast and I wish to make a good impression as opposed to the bad one that I managed before. So I choose my garments with especial care; ones that are in keeping with the traditions of the dwarven Yule ceremonies, I will be taking part in over the holiday. We elves tend to decorate our homes and wear green for we wish to remind ourselves that life even in the depths of winter goes forward and the new shoots of life will come at the turning of the year. 

Dwarven folk choose red and gold for the color of the returning sun as their motif for the celebrations. So I intend to wear a deep burgundy half robe, over black breeches and boots and with a gold silk shirt underneath a burgundy tunic which itself is embroidered with gold leaves and around my waist I wear the gold belt that Gimli gifted to me.

I also wear my circlet and twine in my hair some red ribbon that Dorbryn found for me. When I am ready I present myself for inspection along with the rest of the family so that Mam can be certain we are all looking as we ought to do.

Gimli looks magnificent in red and gold. His beard is braided with gemstones and gold and mithril beads. He comes forward and pulls my head down to kiss my brow and I blush at his obvious pride in me. It makes my earlier conduct seem even worse than before, but before I can comment on that he chides me 

“Here now Lamb, all that is over and done with. Ye do me proud tonight as do all my family” he adds smiling on Dorbryn, Thorûr, and Greirr.

I am happy to be back in his good books for I feared that I had truly hurt him beyond mending when he spent so much time away from my side in the last few days. But Mam said that it was not that he did not wish to be with me only that something had come up and he was needed to take care of things. I was intrigued as to what the something might be for whatever it was seemed to involve Thorûr as well but I did not ask since I was still in disgrace and since Gimli did not offer an explanation I took it to be something that was nothing to do with me.

Still I was happy when he returned around noon today and announced that finally he could begin to enjoy the Yule celebrations. He seemed very pleased with himself, smiling and chuckling and being very good humored about everything and each time his gaze fell on Mam he gave her a look that was both very fond and very devious.

I wonder whether he has something special planned for her for Yule morning. I expect so, and talking of Mam we all turn as she comes out of her chamber. She is dressed in a full length red velvet gown trimmed with ermine on sleeves and neck, her beard and hair are beautifully braided with ribbons and ropes of gem stones while at her waist is a wide mithril belt studded with rubies.

Soft felt boots, embroidered in gold complete her outfit.

“Well” she demands as we all stand in silence, “Will I do?”

“More than do Mam,” Gimli offers her his arm, “Ye are beautiful. How proud Da would be of ye. Just as we all are.”

Mam laughs but we can all see she is pleased and then having decided we will not shame her she leads the way out into the hallway which is now lit by colored lamps and gem stones that twinkle and blink like stars in the night sky.

Dorbryn and Thorûr fall in behind Mam and Gimli while Greirr and I bring up the rear.

All of the dwarves rise to their feet as Gimli is announced and then as we progress to the high table they stamp their feet in unison so that the sound echoes around the hall like thunder.

As we take our places I look out over the hall and realize how different I feel tonight, instead of embarrassment and shame I take great pride in being a part of this very special family who have taken me to their hearts. 

As silence descends again, Gimli raises his goblet and welcomes friends and family to his table he makes special mention of Lady Vonild and there is a huge cheer for her and much calling of greetings and best wishes and someone shouts out that she is especially welcome given her great baking skills which makes everyone laugh including Mam.

When we have all settled again Gimli asks us all to stand and charge our goblets before giving us all the traditional blessing of Yule ‘Long life and Long beards’ a cry that is answered by all present. Then finally he calls upon Mahal to bless the feast and the season, and bids us all to tuck into the meal, which we do with gusto.

Once we have eaten our fill we have songs and dancing. I have become quite proficient at dwarfish dance steps and although I stand out like a sore thumb as Pippin would say, I enjoy the rhythm and the way the circles move right and left. I dance with Dorbryn and then with Mam who I am happy to see seems to be enjoying herself very much.

Gimli also leads out his mother and I am sure I am not the only one who brushes away a tear at the tender care he takes of her and her obvious love of him as they move through the dance steps.

As the evening begins to wind down, individuals are called upon to sing or recite stories or poems and I too am called upon to sing. I choose an elven song that I know Mam loves. It speaks of green and growing things that weather the storms that winter throws at them and then spring up with the return of the sun and go on to blossom and give fruit and life to all around them. Tonight I sing it translated into Khuzdul having spent a long time being coached by Gimli. I am tolerably sure of my pronunciation and want to honor my host by singing something that all in the hall can understand.

As the last note dies away there is silence and I wonder if perhaps I have made a serious blunder in my use of Gimli’s language, then to my relief Mam stands and kisses me on both cheeks and pronounces that it was beautiful and Gimli whose eyes are bright with unshed tears joins her in praising my efforts. Then the rest of our family joins us and before I know it the whole hall is standing and cheering. It is a wonderful end to a lovely evening and I can only hope that tomorrow morning will begin as well as this night has ended.

 

 

Gimli’s pov, just after the feast to celebrate the rescue:

Xxxx

 

“Of course ye aren’t sleeping down here tonight, ye daft elf,” I say, handing over the tea that is lightly laced with Valerian root. When Mam asked me to make tea, obviously to get me out of her way so she could question my elf out of my presence, it occurred to me that after everything he’s been through he might find resting difficult. Well do I know he is likely to be haunted by claustrophobic feelings after having been imprisoned for so long in the tunnel, besides being wrung out from the discomfort of having to endure the celebration in honor of those who helped with the rescue operation. I would have liked to have excused him from attending, but a strong message needed to be sent and I doubt that Legolas or Greirr either one will forget this day if ever an opportunity to do something so stupidly dangerous as to enter into sound sensitive caverns presents itself in future. 

Still I am almost as relieved that this evening is over as they are for I am anxious to get on with the Yule celebrations and to forget the worries of the last few days. So I add extra honey to the tea to hide the bitter taste of the Valerian root and hope that it has a calming effect so that my elf can rest properly. I am a little worried that I might have over estimated the amount of root needed when I almost end up having to carry him the final leg of the walk up to the Keep. As it turns out, he is barely able to change into sleeping clothes before he falls into bed and is deeply asleep, eyes buttoned shut in testament to his extreme weariness. 

It doesn’t take me long to join him, but having slept a good portion of the afternoon, I am up before dawn. Legolas shows no signs of waking and I intend to let him sleep himself out, so I just rifle through the small pack I brought with me to bring out some tools I brought along in case I had some time to myself. I take them, along with the small velvet bag of red emeralds, over to where the light is better at a table that sits under the window.

With only a few days left until Yule, I am going to have to spend every free moment working on shaping and polishing the emeralds and working the platinum into a proper setting to showcase such exquisite gems. I begin by closely examining the stones and sketching out a design for how to cut them. After a while I realize the sketch ends up looking just as the earrings in my dream did, for these particular stones seem to fit perfectly to such a design. 

I fold the sketch and place it in my pocket and begin very carefully working to whittle away the rough debris that surrounds the gleaming gem that I know is inside. I know that I have to work very cautiously with the brittle stones, so I take my time, and by the time Legolas begins to stir nearly four hours later, I have one stone over half way cobbled. 

I quickly put things away, and thankfully he doesn’t ask what I am working on, for I intend it to be a surprise on Yule morning not just for Lady Vonild. 

On our walk back to the caves I decide I must let Thorûr and Dorbryn in on my plans or else I will not have enough time to complete them. Thorûr should be a great help when it comes to preparing the wax molds for the metal and casting the platinum even if I’d prefer to cut the jewels myself. If I can get him away for a few days, we might just be able to accomplish my goal of having an exquisite pair of earrings ready for Yule morning. Of course Dorbryn will have to be informed for she would demand an explanation of her husband’s whereabouts if he were to go off with me while she is working hard to get things ready for the Yule’s eve feast and also for the smaller family Mid Winter’s day celebration.

 

As it turns out, they are both keen to help, so Thorûr and I go off to the forges, leaving Dorbyn to explain our absence to Mam and to keep watch over the two miscreants who have been sentenced to close confinement until after Yule. I have a feeling it won’t be too painful a sentence with Lady Vonild about to coddle them with ‘tastes’ of the baking and candy making that is taking place, but of course I don’t mind that. It is Yule after all.

It takes nearly four full days of painstaking work to get the stones cut and set, and the quartz droplets polished and attached, but when Thorûr and I stand back to admire our work, I am ridiculously pleased with the result. I do not say so to my brother in law, for he might think me completely daft, but they look exactly like the earrings that Lord Gloin presented to Mam in my dream. 

So on Yule’s eve, we are able to return home at midday. Dorbryn can tell by our exuberant manner that we have successfully completed our task, so as soon as she can manage it, she secrets me into her private rooms and demands a peek.

“Oh!” she breathes as soon as I present the earrings to her. “How perfectly lovely! I am sure I shall never be reconciled to how the stones were retrieved, but they are exquisitely delicate and beautiful! Mam will be so pleased. And I have just the thing to complete them. A beautiful box for beautiful jewels.” 

She opens a drawer and removes a small wooden box and holds it up to show me. I feel the blood drain from my face the moment I catch sight of it. Dorbryn must notice my loss of composure for she frowns at my reaction.

“What?” she demands. “Do you not like it? I personally thought it was masterfully crafted, but if you do not think it is good enough we can look for something else, though where you will find something better I do not know.”

It is easy to see she is insulted by my reaction. I know not where this box came from, but clearly it means a lot to her that I use it, so I hurry to assure her.

“Of course I like it. It is quite lovely,” I explain. “It is just…well…” I clear my throat, knowing what I am about to say will sound crazy. “It is just that…I have seen this box before.”

“Don’t be daft, Gimli, you couldn’t have seen it before,” she tells me. “Greirr and Legolas only just finished with it this morning and I’ve had it hidden in here ever since.”

“And they’ve made a lovely job of it too, I assure her. “I know I haven’t actually seen it, but I swear to you I have ‘seen’ it. In a dream.” 

She looks decidedly and understandably disbelieving. 

“You have been hitting the Yule ale barrels a little too often,” she laughs, rolling her eyes.

“I know it how it sounds,” I admit, “But I swear I had a dream the day of the rescue that Da gave Mam a box that looked just like that one, with dwarfish runes on top and an elvish design all around the edge. Inside it was lined with black velvet, with a little black velvet cushion that held a pair of red emerald earrings. I…I used the design of the earrings as a pattern for these.”

The smile falls from Dorbryn’s face and it is her turn to go pale. With trembling hands she opens the little wooden box, where inside we both stare at the black velvet lining and tiny black velvet cushion. I place the earrings on the cushion and feel a shiver go down my spine as the faint smell of Gloin’s pipe smoke taints the air. 

“Did you…” Dorbyn begins, her eyes going wide.

“Aye, I did,” I tell her and we share a stunned look between us, before she closes the box with a snap successfully breaking the spell. She quickly puts the box back inside the drawer where it will stay until later tonight when she will wrap it in anticipation of tomorrow morning. We quickly go back out to join the rest of the family and I hope no one will notice anything amiss. Of course Mam is very sharp eyed and rarely misses a thing.

“You two look as if butter wouldn’t melt in your mouths,” she accuses. “What are you about?”

Dorbryn, who has always been better at obfuscating with Mam answers for both of us.

“It is Yule, Mam, the time for secrets,” she explains with a wink. “it won’t do to ask too many questions this time of year.”

Mam only laughs and lets it go, and then shoos everyone off to prepare for tonight’s celebration. She does manage to find time to take me aside for a quick whispered discussion as soon as the others have left. I can tell that I have somehow managed to find myself in her black books, though I haven’t any idea what has her back up. She is quick to clue me in, however, as she scolds over my callous lack of attention to my elfling. She claims that Legolas is contributing my absence over the last several days to the idea that I am still angry with him. 

“Why would he think that, Mam? “ I ask. “I forgave him the day of the rescue. I was more worried over his safety than angry anyway. It was a stupid careless thing to do, but boys will be boys after all. Besides he has paid the penalty and I am not one to hold a grudge. He knows that.”

She sighs and rolls her eyes at this speech. 

“Clearly he doesn’t know it, or he wouldn’t have mentioned it,” she points out with an exaggerated patience as if she is trying to teach a complicated concept to an especially dense student. “He canna read your mind, ye know. Ye have to tell him with your words and actions that ye have forgiven him, else he is likely to come to all sorts of wrong conclusions. You males can’t see what is right in front of your noses sometimes!”

Of course she is right as usual. I have been so caught up in getting the stones ready for Yule that I have forgotten the sensitive nature of my elf when it comes to accepting forgiveness for mistakes or youthful folly. Lady Vonild always helps me to realize that while I might make a passable substitute father, I have much to learn about the art of ‘mothering’ someone who is still quite in need of such from time to time. Perhaps with her help I might master the skill in time for she has always sets an outstanding example. I promise to try harder and that is all she needs to hear before she is all smiles again. 

This is why I make an extra point to praise my lad before all the family when he enters the main room rather than keeping my pride in him to myself as I might have done years ago. His obvious relief at this makes me feel guilty for not having made it clear that I was no longer angry and eased his mind much earlier. I promise myself to pay better attention to such things after this. 

The Yule feast is a great success, with bountiful food and rich dark ale. The dancing is lively and everyone seems to enjoy themselves more and more as the night goes on and the beer barrels are tapped one after another and emptied. It being the season of good cheer, everyone seems more than willing to forgive the trials caused by Legolas and Greirr earlier in the week and nothing is said about it. In fact Greirr manages to hold everyone spellbound with his storytelling and Legolas has them all wiping their eyes with his emotional rendition of an elvish Midwinter song that has been carefully translated into Khuzdul. I have helped him practice it since last year and it is good to see his hard work pay off, for the residents of Aglarond are more than a little appreciative. 

It is a wonderful way to end the celebration and after that everyone begins to clear out and head back to their own homes. 

I wonder if Mam will wish to stay up longer to delay attempting to sleep on her first Midwinter’s eve without Da. Dorbryn must be thinking the same thing, for she offers to sleep in her chambers with her, but Lady Vonild just waves our concerns away with her hand. 

“It has been a wonderful evening, and I have my family with me. There isn’t another thing I’d lift a finger to take,” she tells us firmly, before heading off to her chambers. After that Dorbryn, Thorûr and Greirr head off and I am left alone with my elfling.

“Are ye certain ye wouldn’t rather we go up to the Keep again tonight?” I offer. “We can come back early in the morning and I don’t mind a bit.”

But he shakes his head. 

“No thank you, Elvellon. I would rather stay here with everyone else.” He assures me.

“In that case, let us make ourselves comfortable and then we can share a bottle of wine,” I suggest. “Wouldn’t ye like that, lamb?”

 

I unbraid my beard and change my boots for leather slippers, while he unwinds the circlet from his hair and removes his boots and outer tunic, leaving him in black leggings and a gold silk shirt. I comment that he still looks rather festive with the red ribbon still twined in his hair. The wine is a special gift given to me by King Eomer as they were passing through, I explain as I open it and find a couple of glasses. 

I prefer black ale of course, but it is palatable enough and quite an agreeable way to end Yule’s eve as we sit and drink it in front of the fire. We are mostly silent, watching the fire in companionable silence, but after a while I take Mam’s advice and say what is in my heart, rather than letting him wonder.

“I am happy ye are here, lamb,” I tell him. “Yule never feels right if ye aren’t here to share it with me.”

“And I am happy to be here,” he smiles, though a trifle ruefully. “But surely you didn’t feel so a few days ago. Yule certainly would have been easier on everyone here had I gone straight back home after delivering Mam.”

I chuckle at this, but shake my head and beckon him to sit with me.

“Come lad, let me explain something to ye.”

He settles on the footstool, facing me and I lean forward on the edge of my chair and take his face in my hands.

“It might have been easier, but I never would have wished that ye had gone home,” I say. “There is never a time I don’t want to be with ye, no matter how much trouble ye manage to find. There is nothing ye can do that would make me wish ye away from me. Not ever.” 

“Really?” He asks shyly.

“Aye, really,” I say as I pat his cheek and then lean back in my chair again and reach for my glass of wine. “If it were up to me, ye could move in and take up working in the forges, but since that isn’t likely to happen I’ll just have to make do with frequent visits. Though I should warn ye that I am already planning my retirement to Ithilien, so ye’d best be prepared.”

“You would be welcome of course,” he laughs, “ but I cannot see you leaving Aglarond.”

“Hmmph! In a few years I’ll have Greirr groomed to take over as lord here and then I’ll move in with you to live among the elves. I may even build a flet and take up living in the trees.” I tease. Only its not entirely teasing, for I have long considered making Greirr my heir eventually and spending my old age with my elf has a certain appeal….

“A very sound plan,” Legolas laughs again, “but in the meantime I am very much looking forward to celebrating the return of the light with you and the rest of the family tomorrow.”

“As am I, laddie,” I agree, draining the last of the wine, and rising a little shakily “For now it is time and beyond that ye were in bed and sleeping soundly.” 

“And what about you?” he asks, reaching out to steady me and then taking my arm to guide me to the chambers we are sharing tonight.

“Me?” I raise an eyebrow, seriously considering this question. “I obviously should have been in bed half a bottle ago.”

 

XXXX

I sleep very well considering the noise that emanates from Gimli. He always snores, but after the Yule eve feast and the amount of beer and wine that was imbibed I suppose I should not have been surprised that sharing Gimli’s bedchamber last night was akin to sleeping with a dragon.  
Still I am not about to complain. I am too happy to be back in my guardian’s good graces and I enjoyed the evening too much to spoil it by mentioning the noise.

So I lie awake in the hour or so before what would be dawn if we could see outside and ponder the last few days since Mam and I arrived in Aglarond.

I wonder as well what will happen to the beryl emeralds. Gimli has said nothing more of them since they were handed into his care. Mayhap he will tell me eventually although I will not be asking for some time yet for today is the first full day of Yule and I do not wish to spoil the day by bringing up the present whereabouts of the stones Greirr and I risked our lives to gain. 

No today is all about celebrating family, and here with Gimli I truly feel part of his family, all of them, Mam, Greirr, Dorbryn, and Thorûr. Today Gimli has no duties as Lord of Aglarond. His official obligations for the season were undertaken last night at the Yule Eve feast; today most dwarves will spend quietly with their families.

There will be a special first meal and then an exchange of gifts. Later we will talk or sing the songs of the season and later still we will sit down to a magnificent dinner which will mark the end of the first day of Yule. Tomorrow is for visiting friends and general pleasure but personally I like First Day best, when I can spend it here with my dwarven family.

I will miss being with my Ada of course and the scents of Yule that I associate with my home, the trays of dried and spiced fruits, nuts, and cones, the great swags of greenery tied with gold and red ribbons I can almost smell the scent of the pines and firs that fill the stronghold even from here.

I hear the first faint sounds of movement in the kitchens, which means that Mam is probably up putting the special spiced breads in the ovens so that they will be baked in time for first meal. So I slip out of bed and don my clothes, quietly closing the door behind me so as not to disturb Gimli I make my way into the living area and see that someone has been busy even as I slept. The family quarters are dressed with glass baubles in a myriad of colours and tiny lanterns that make the glass shimmer and reflect the light. But more than that Gimli has also seen that copper bowls and jugs have been placed around the room in which have been arranged leaves, berries, and greenery. How kind my hosts are to take time to ensure that some elven traditions are included for the day.

In front of the hearth where a fire is already burning brightly are the family gifts all wrapped and ready. It is a custom of the dwarves to take turns in opening presents starting with the youngest member of the family going first. It will be interesting to see how that tradition works this morning as I am technically older than anyone here is, but in terms of maturity it might be said that I am the youngest.   
I cast my eyes over the gifts hoping to see the box that Greirr and I have worked on, but I cannot tell if it is there or not since I am not certain what color material Dorbryn used to wrap it in. I hope that Mam will like it. It is not what I hoped to give her but as she said her greatest gift is to have her family safe and beside her and since she at least does not know the full truth of Greirr and my trials in the tunnels getting the red beryl emeralds, she at least will not be disappointed by their absence. 

I am still examining the various parcels and wondering what may be inside when a voice calls out.

“Yule Blessings Lambkin,” I turn to see Lady Vonild standing in the arched doorway to the kitchens.

Mam bustles out of the kitchen wiping her hands on her apron and kisses me soundly on both cheeks and I return the favor making her laugh then she sets me to preparing the table.

Then Gimli emerges from his bedchamber and lifts me clear off my feet as he wishes me a Happy Yule.

We are soon joined by the rest of the family and then we sit to enjoy first meal The spice breads are baked to perfection and there are sausages, onions, thick slabs of bacon and stacks of Mam’s special pancakes with syrup taken from the maple trees in southern Greenwood and honey from the hives in Meduseld.

When even Thorûr who has a prestigious appetite has eaten his fill, he and Gimli go off to prepare the hot punch while the rest of us hurry to clear the table and set chairs around the fire. Gimli calls for me to help carry in the special Wassail bowl and when we all have a cup he gives the traditional toast of “Family, friends and a happy Yule morning” and then we begin the fun of opening our gifts.

I am amazed to find that somehow I have presents from home, but when I look over at Mam I realize she most likely brought them with her after her visit to Adar for I also had parcels given to me to carry south for Gimli and the rest of his family from the elves of Eryn Lasgalen.

Adar has sent Mam a beautiful thick woolen shawl, richly embroidered in reds and gold and Mam immediately puts it on using a broach that Gimli has made for her to pin it in place.

 

Each of us takes turn to open the gifts we have been given until only one package is left to be opened by Mam. I recognise the shape and know it is the box Greirr and I have worked on. I am surprised that Dorbryn kept our little gift back until all the others had been opened and exclaimed over for although it is very pretty, it is nothing compared to many of the other presents that Mam has received.

I exchange a look with Greirr and I can see that he is as anxious as I am as to how our present will be received. Oh I know Mam will say she is happy with it, but it is not the gift we had hoped to present to her.

Gimli and Thorûr have been grinning and smirking all the way through the gift giving and now seem very excited about something even Dorbryn is smiling and has a look of anticipation on her face as we hand over the wrapped box and wish Mam a Happy Yule.

Mam takes off the velvet covering and exclaims over the workmanship of the box, running her hands over the silver and mithril inlay and the carvings and telling both Greirr and I that the design and size is perfect. 

“Just what I needed lads for when I go traveling, and it will be a lovely reminder of both of my grandsons whenever I use it,” She tells us.

“Open it” Gimli urges his mother and now I begin to suspect that something extra must have been added to our present. A suspicion that grows as Thorûr and Dorbryn cluster round so that they can see inside as it is opened.  
Greirr and I kneel next to Mam’s chair as she finally lifts the lid.

I can hardly believe my eyes and I know my jaw has dropped if my expression is anything akin to Greirr’s, as he stares down into the opened box. For as we all stare at the interior we see nestling on the black velvet cushion that Dorbryn made a pair of exquisite red beryl emerald earrings set in filigreed platinum with clear quartz droplets hanging from each one. 

My first instinct is to look not at Greirr again but to Gimli, and I see his dark eyes are alight with delight and pleasure at being able to surprise us so completely. Thorûr and Dorbryn have obviously been in on the revelation for they are also smiling and waiting to see Mam’s reaction.

Of course I am also waiting to see Mam’s response but I spare the time now to look at Greirr and we share a look of real delight for the fact that despite our misconduct Gimli, Dorbryn and Thorûr chose to fulfill our original plan and turn the beryl emeralds into earrings, and such earrings! Gimli and Thorûr have even included the quartz that I mined from the Blue cavern. 

How fortunate we are in those who have our care in their hands, they have made our dreams come true by producing ear drops that are so exquisite that there is no way either Greirr or I could have come up with such a wonderful design.

I look from Mam’s dazed face to Greirr then on to Gimli who is wearing a grin as wide as the Anduin River and he winks at us and then asks innocently if Vonild is happy with her gift from the family.

“Happy?” 

“Eh lad, how did any of ye know that these were the very earrings in the same pattern, in the same box that Gloin promised me all that time ago. How is such a thing possible?”

Gimli claps his hands together delighted with his mother’s response to her gift, “I do not know Mam it just seemed that when the stones came into our possession, mine, and Thorûr’s that is, we came up with the same designs without even comparing our ideas.”

“It was the same with me and Legolas when we made the box” Greirr speaks up

“Well however it came about I will treasure them.” Mam declares, “Aye and how pleased Gloin would be to know that his promise has been fulfilled.” She wipes her eyes and smiles at us all as Dorbryn helps her put the earrings on.

“He would that” Gimli kisses Mam’s cheek, his own eyes suspiciously moist as are all ours I suspect. “And I doubt not that he is looking in on us now with that warm smile of his nodding his approval.”

Thorûr fills our wassail cups again and this time it is Mam who makes the toast, “To Gloin, father, grandfather and husband, wassail!”

We all join in the toast then I see Gimli looking behind me and I turn and see what I am sure he is seeing.

We elves can sometimes see the shades of the dead and today I am certain that the form I can now see is Lord Gloin and that he is inordinately pleased with the gift that we have given Mam.

It is plain to me at least that much of what has transpired here this Yule has somehow been coordinated by Lord Gloin. Gimli knows it as well for he comes over to me and places a hand on my shoulder before nodding at the shade, which immediately begins to dissipate as if satisfied with its work. I am not sure if I imagine Gimli’s soft ‘Happy Yule Da’ before he turns back to join the others in admiring the effect of the earrings against the shawl Adar sent but I add my own silent blessing as well. It is only polite after all.

Lady Vonild is still smiling down at her reflection in the small mirror Dorbryn has given her, her thoughts obviously with Gloin and their life together and his wish to provide her with the wonderful red beryl emerald earrings. And I know in my heart that whatever the trouble Greirr and I found ourselves in over how those emeralds came to be available, has been worthwhile.

“I still do not know how we all came to design the same thing” Greirr insists.

I say nothing of my thoughts but I do not have to for it is Mam, who answers Greirr’s question.

“Gloin was a dwarf of great power in life and of great determination as well. It does not surprise me that he found some way of communicating his desires to those he loves nor that he provided the means by which those desires might be fulfilled. Although I might wish he had chosen a less dangerous route for the pair of ye.” She turns her gaze on Greirr and me.

Now everyone is staring at her in amazement, “You knew where the emeralds came from?” Dorbryn asks

“Not the specifics, but the way ye have all been acting I thought something must have been afoot and it seems I was right. I willna ask for any more information, just let me say how much I love ye all and what ye have given me here is something that I will always treasure. Not so much for the beauty of the stones but for the love ye have all showed in your determination to provide me with this very special gift and I thank ye all and” she picks up her goblet and offers a last toast “I wish ye all a Happy Yule.”

We all respond and then happy chatter breaks out as the family begins to look over their gifts again.

I stand a little apart watching the happy scene, and Gimli comes to stand at my side, one hand on my arm, he gives it a small squeeze as he whispers 

“Happy Yule, Lamb”

And with my beloved guardian with me, and my dwarven family about me I know that it will be just that.

“Happy Yule Elvellon”

And a Happy Yule to those who follow our stories 

From Beth & Minnie


End file.
